Bird Flu at Wetheral, Suspected Omagh Case

Authorities confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) at a commercial poultry site near Wetheral, Cumbria, prompting humane culling of about 43,000 chickens and the establishment of a 3-km protection zone and a 10-km surveillance zone. Northern Ireland officials have identified a suspected HPAI case at a commercial premises near Omagh; DAERA and Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher ordered humane culling of hundreds of birds, set temporary control zones and sent samples to the national reference laboratory for strain confirmation, with temporary zones to become a 3-km protection zone and 10-km surveillance zone if confirmed. If confirmed, the Omagh detection would be the first confirmed commercial premises case in Northern Ireland since February, and Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir and other officials have urged all bird owners to maintain strict biosecurity. The detections come amid a widening international outbreak: U.S. authorities have carried out large-scale depopulations — including roughly 42,000 turkeys in Iowa and an order in Wisconsin to depopulate more than 3 million birds — and report millions of birds lost nationally since 2022. Officials say the virus has entered some U.S. dairy herds, prompting milk testing while stressing pasteurization keeps milk safe and that human infection risk remains very low.