Avian influenza has been confirmed near Lanark, prompting the creation of tight control zones around a poultry site where 31,000 broiler breeders have been affected.
Scottish authorities confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic bird flu H5N1 on Wednesday evening (12 November) at a premises in South Lanarkshire, making it Scotland's first case of the season.
The outbreak has triggered a 3km Protection Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone, placing strict movement controls on poultry, captive birds and potentially contaminated material.
The confirmation comes as Scotland remains the only part of the UK without a national housing order in force.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland have already instructed all poultry keepers to house birds to reduce the risk of infection, with the English order in place since 6 November. Defra said the move was necessary to “prevent bird flu and stop it spreading.”
The latest case adds to growing concern about the spread of H5N1 across the UK and Europe this season, with veterinary authorities warning of heightened risk due to wild bird migration and the persistence of the virus in the environment.
Industry groups have urged all keepers — regardless of location — to tighten biosecurity and remain alert for signs of disease.
Experts warn that this year’s strain could be the most contagious yet. Professor Ian Brown of the Pirbright Institute said that the virus circulating among farm flocks is “as super-infectious as any high pathogenicity avian influenza we've ever seen.”
He urged farmers to “prepare for the worst,” adding that the industry must “batten the hatches down, review their biosecurity and redouble their efforts” to contain the disease.
With winter migration under way, officials warn that vigilance and strict compliance will be crucial in containing what could be the UK’s most virulent bird flu outbreak yet.
