Second highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak confirmed in commercial turkey flock in Co. Meath
- Published on: 5 November 2025
- Last updated on: 5 November 2025
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has confirmed a further outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in a commercial turkey flock near Kells, County Meath. Restriction zones have been established around the affected holding, comprising of a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone in line with national and EU legislation. This follows confirmation of the disease in a flock in Co Carlow yesterday.
This development follows the Minister’s announcement earlier today of a mandatory housing order for all poultry and captive birds, which will take effect on Monday 10th November. These Regulations also include a ban on gatherings of birds from different premises to protect the birds from the risk of infection e.g. shows, fairs, sales.
Minister Heydon said:
“This second outbreak underlines the ongoing presence of avian influenza in wild birds across the country. The introduction of the housing order will further strengthen our national protection measures to help mitigate the ongoing risk. I want to thank poultry keepers for their continued cooperation and strong commitment to maintaining the highest standards of biosecurity during this high-risk period. Working together and following strict biosecurity procedures is the strongest defence to reduce the risk and safeguard our poultry sector.”
The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSE-HPSC) and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) advise that the risk to public health from the strain of Avian Influenza that is circulating is very low. Notwithstanding, members of the public are, as always, advised not to handle sick or dead wild birds and to report sick or dead wild birds to the Department’s avian check app (AvianCheck).
The Department reminds all flock owners, regardless of the flock size, to:
- Comply fully with the housing and biosecurity regulations
- Remain vigilant for sign of disease, and
- Report any suspicions of avian influenza to their local regional veterinary office, or if outside business hours, to contact the National Disease Emergency Hotline on 01 492 8026
The Department continues to closely monitor developments closely, engage with industry stakeholders and take all necessary measures to mitigate the risk of avian influenza.
ENDS
Notes for Editor:
Compulsory biosecurity measures came into effect on Saturday, 1 November 2025, and are designed to prevent outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in poultry and captive birds. These regulations require specific biosecurity measures to be implemented by the keepers of all poultry (and other captive bird) flocks, irrespective of size, to help mitigate the risk of the virus, and additional enhanced biosecurity measures that must be implemented in flocks of 350 birds or more.
A housing order for poultry comes into effect from Monday, 10 November 2025. Under these measures, Poultry and captive birds must be housed or confined in such a manner that they do not have access to other poultry, captive birds, or wild birds. In addition, it is not permitted to organise or take part in events which involve the assembly of live birds from different premises e.g. shows, fairs, markets or sales, in order to protect the birds themselves from the risk of becoming infected.
A protection zone (PZ) of at least 3km radius from the infected holding and a surveillance zone (SZ) of at least 10km radius have been put in place. A census of all holdings within the PZ and SZ will be conducted and procedures put in place to control movements of live poultry, other captive birds, hatching and table eggs, used litter, manure and slurry from poultry holdings. There is no requirement to control the movement of poultry feed except to “suspect” or “infected” premises. However, biosecurity measures apply to the movement of feed delivery vehicles between poultry farms in the Restriction Zones (PZ & SZ).
Clinical signs that poultry keepers should look for in their birds include a swollen head, discolouration of neck and throat, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, diarrhoea and fewer eggs laid – although these vary between species of bird.
If you suspect disease in your own flock, notify the nearest Regional Veterinary Office or ring the Avian Influenza Helpline: 01 607 2512 (Outside of Office hours: 01 492 8026)
If you find sick or dead wild birds such as wild ducks, wild geese, swans, gulls or birds of prey, do not handle the birds. Report the findings to the Department as above or the Avian Influenza Wild Bird reporting App (AvianCheck).
Further information avian influenza can be found on the Government website at www.gov.ie/birdflu