World’s First Case of Bird Flu in Sheep Confirmed in England

H5N1 virus detected during routine surveillance in Yorkshire sheep, prompting enhanced biosecurity measures and scientific investigation.

The H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected in a sheep in Yorkshire, marking the first known case of the virus in this species globally.
The infected sheep, located on a farm where avian influenza was previously found in captive birds, was culled, and no further infections were detected in the flock.
UK authorities emphasize that the risk to public health and livestock remains very low, with no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus.
Scientists are analyzing the virus found in the sheep to determine if it has undergone genetic changes, drawing comparisons to similar outbreaks in US dairy cattle.
Experts stress the importance of strict biosecurity and species separation to prevent further cross-species transmission of H5N1.