Representative ImageThe British government on Monday said that a bird flu or avian influenza (H5N1) case had been detected in a sheep in England for the first time.The discovery occurred during standard monitoring of livestock at a location where avian influenza was previously found in captive birds. Following the US dairy cow outbreak, Defra implemented livestock monitoring at infected sites.“We have confirmed the detection of influenza of avian origin (H5N1) in a single sheep on a farm in Yorkshire. However, current evidence suggests that the avian influenza viruses we're seeing circulating around the world do not spread easily to people – and the risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low. ""UKHSA will continue to monitor the situation closely alongside Defra, DHSC, Animal and Plant Health Agency and Food Standards Agency. UKHSA has established preparations in place for detections of human cases of avian flu and will respond rapidly with NHS and other partners if needed," Chand added.

Source: The Times March 24, 2025 09:14 UTC