What you should know about bird flu in the UK – and its impact on humans

Published

5 months ago

February 10, 2025

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The UK has been declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) – and bird “gatherings” have been banned in England and Wales in response to rising cases of bird flu.

Strains of the virus have been reported in poultry and wild birds across the country – and one person working on a farm in the West Midlands.

Although there has only been one human case, the government has ordered five million doses of a bird flu vaccine to prevent further spread between humans.

Human-to-human transmission has not happened in the UK or Europe since bird flu first emerged in 1997, but experts warn each infection increases the risk of the virus adapting to human hosts – and causing a pandemic. Here is what you need to know.

What is avian flu – and how does it spread?

Avian flu (more commonly known as bird flu) is an influenza virus most common in wild birds and poultry. It can spread to mammals – and very rarely to humans.

It is spread through contact with infected birds, or other species, including through touching their droppings and bedding.

Humans can also catch the virus by killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), people who work with birds are most likely to contract it by breathing in dust and mist generated by infected birds – or touching infected equipment or machinery.

Symptoms in birds include sudden death, a swollen head, and closed or runny eyes. Mortality rates in chickens and other poultry are close to 100%.

Ducks, geese, and swans do not always show symptoms, which means they can spread the virus undetected. Scientists at the University of Glasgow recently found that horses were also asymptomatic for bird flu, sparking concerns the scale of the global outbreak could be higher than previously thought.

In humans, symptoms develop between three and five days after exposure and include:

A high temperature;
Headache and muscle aches;
Coughing and shortness of breath;
Diarrhoea and vomiting;
Conjunctivitis;
Chest pain;
Bleeding from nose and gums.

It is different from seasonal influenza which infects humans each winter. This year the most common strains are A(H1N1) and A(H3N2).

Like seasonal influenza however, in humans it can cause pneumonia, acute respiratory problems, and sometimes death – particularly in vulnerable people.

How widespread is the UK outbreak – and beyond?

The current outbreak stretches back to 2020 when the virus spread widely across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Antarctica.

By 2021 and 2022 sea birds along the UK coastline were dying – and eventually the virus spread to non-wild birds – including poultry.

The current poultry outbreak began with the (HPAI) H5N5 strain being identified in England on 5 November last year – and the (HPAI) H5N1 strain 12 days later. There has now been one case of each confirmed in Scotland – and just over 30 of the latter in England.

Most cases are in the east of England – from Essex and Suffolk to Yorkshire. The West Midlands, Merseyside, parts of Cornwall, Rye in Sussex, and Flintshire in Wales have also been impacted.

There has only been one human case in the UK. The patient is “currently well” and being treated at a high-consequence infectious disease unit to prevent further transmission, the government says. Their closest contacts have been given antiviral drugs.

Beyond the UK, a slightly different strain has spread to about 156 million birds in the US as well as jumping to dairy cows – closing bird and cattle markets in certain states.

Almost 70 human cases have been confirmed there, including one fatal one in Louisiana in January – in a patient over the age of 65. Another fatal case has been reported in Mexico, and a teenage girl in Canada became seriously ill from the virus last year but was discharged last month.

Human-to-human transmission is confined to a small number of cases in Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

How likely is further human spread in the UK?

Although both strains are “highly pathogenic” – this only refers to the risk to birds – not humans.

And according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the risk to the general public is “very low”.

“For most people, it’s not a direct threat at the moment,” Professor Ed Hutchinson, professor of molecular and cellular virology at the University of Glasgow, told Sky News.

“Flu viruses can adapt to new host species – they do it far more than any other virus – but it’s still very hard for them to do,” he said. “As a result, new flu strains only jump into humans every few decades.”

This is because to infect a human and create a viral load large enough to spread to other humans, the virus needs to adapt in three ways.

First, it must attach itself to the sugar molecules on the surface of our cells, before it can infect them by interacting with molecules inside – and both these types of molecules are structured differently in humans and birds.

Finally, it needs to be able to fight off the immune system – and our immune systems operate differently to the ones birds have.

“So far it hasn’t been able to adapt enough to jump from human to human, so that’s good news,” Prof Hutchinson said.

“For the time being we’re only at the first step of what progression to a human adapted virus looks like.”

But, he stressed: “The virus is already doing a lot of the things that would count as early warning signs for a possible future pandemic – and every infection of a human is another opportunity for it to adapt.

“So it’s rightly being viewed with a lot of concern. But that does not mean it’s necessarily capable of causing a pandemic, and even if there is still time to intervene to reduce the risk of it doing so.”

How can we stop it spreading?

Birds are not vaccinated for bird flu in the UK and are scarcely given antiviral medication to prevent drug resistance.

The restrictions currently in place for bird owners largely work by segregating commercial, and domestic birds from wild flocks – as the virus is harder to monitor in wild populations.

Poultry farmers with cases are forced to cull most of their other livestock within a certain radius, which is devastating for livelihoods – and pushes up the price of eggs and other poultry products.

If you see a dead bird with any of the key symptoms – you should report it to the government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) by phone or online. The British Trust for Ornithology (BNO) also has an online tracker people can use that monitors the virus’s spread in near-real time.

If possible, preventing pets from scavenging dead birds can help stop the spread – particularly waterfowl or seabirds as they are the main carriers.

Eating eggs or cooked poultry does not risk any spread as neither of them contain any of the living organisms flu viruses need to survive.

In the US where cows have become infected, the virus will only survive in milk that hasn’t been pasteurised – as heat kills it instantly.

What restrictions are in place?

All four UK nations are currently designated Avian Influenza Prevention Zones.

From pet birds to a commercial flock, owners are required to keep them away from wild birds, free from rodents or pests, and to disinfect their pens, clothing, and anything else that comes into contact with their birds, bedding, or faeces.

Movement of birds and human contact should be minimised – and all activity monitored, the guidance adds.

People who own more than 50 birds must have government-mandated disinfectant foot dip at all entry and exit points.

Members of the public are banned from feeding wild game birds within 500m of any premises with more than 500 poultry or captive birds (kept as pets or in zoos).

In the East of England and Shropshire, stricter restrictions require all birds to be kept inside.

Any cases of highly pathogenic bird flu trigger a 3km (1.9-mile) protection zone and 10km (6.2-mile) surveillance zone around them.

As of midday on 10 February in England and Wales, bird “gatherings” of ducks, geese, swans, pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkeys, and guinea fowl are banned.

These include bringing birds together for fairs, markets, sales, exhibitions – or transporting a group from different premises together.

UK

MasterChef presenter John Torode sacked

Published

2 hours ago

July 15, 2025

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MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.

His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.

On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.

Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.

In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.

The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.

“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.

“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.

“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”

Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.

A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.

“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.

“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”

Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.

Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.

“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.

“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”

Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”

In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.

UK

David Fuller: Offences committed by hospital worker who sexually abused dozens of corpses ‘could happen again’

Published

8 hours ago

July 15, 2025

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David Fuller: Offences committed by hospital worker who sexually abused dozens of corpses 'could happen again'

An inquiry into the case of a hospital worker who sexually abused dozens of corpses has concluded that “offences such as those committed by David Fuller could happen again”.

It found that “current arrangements in England for the regulation and oversight of the care of people after death are partial, ineffective and, in significant areas, completely lacking”.

The first phase of the inquiry found Fuller, 70, was able to offend for 15 years in mortuaries without being suspected or caught due to “serious failings” at the hospitals where he worked.

Phase 2 of the inquiry has examined the broader national picture and considered if procedures and practices in other hospital and non-hospital settings, where deceased people are kept, safeguard their security and dignity.

What were Fuller’s crimes?

Fuller was given a whole-life prison term in December 2021 for the murders of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1987.

During his time as a maintenance worker, he also abused the corpses of at least 101 women and girls at Kent and Sussex Hospital and the Tunbridge Wells Hospital before his arrest in December 2020.

His victims ranged in age from nine to 100.

Phase 1 of the inquiry found he entered one mortuary 444 times in the space of one year “unnoticed and unchecked” and that deceased people were also left out of fridges and overnight during working hours.

‘Inadequate management, governance and processes’

Presenting the findings on Tuesday, Sir Jonathan Michael, chair of the inquiry, said: “This is the first time that the security and dignity of people after death has been reviewed so comprehensively.

“Inadequate management, governance and processes helped create the environment in which David Fuller was able to offend for so long.”

He said that these “weaknesses” are not confined to where Fuller operated, adding that he found examples from “across the country”.

“I have asked myself whether there could be a recurrence of the appalling crimes committed by David Fuller. – I have concluded that yes, it is entirely possible that such offences could be repeated, particularly in those sectors that lack any form of statutory regulation.”

Sir Jonathan called for a statutory regulation to “protect the security and dignity of people after death”.

After an initial glance, his interim report already called for urgent regulation to safeguard the “security and dignity of the deceased”.

On publication of his final report he describes regulation and oversight of care as “ineffective, and in significant areas completely lacking”.

David Fuller was an electrician who committed sexual offences against at least 100 deceased women and girls in the mortuaries of the Kent and Sussex Hospital and the Tunbridge Wells Hospital. His victims ranged in age from nine to 100.

This first phase of the inquiry found Fuller entered the mortuary 444 times in a single year, “unnoticed and unchecked”.

It was highly critical of the systems in place that allowed this to happen.

His shocking discovery, looking at the broader industry – be it other NHS Trusts or the 4,500 funeral directors in England – is that it could easily have happened elsewhere.

The conditions described suggest someone like Fuller could get away with it again.

UK

MasterChef is ‘bigger than individuals’ and ‘can survive’, BBC says

Published

8 hours ago

July 15, 2025

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MasterChef is 'bigger than individuals' and 'can survive', BBC says

BBC director-general Tim Davie has said MasterChef can survive its current scandal as it is “much bigger than individuals” – but the corporation must “make sure we’re in the right place in terms of the culture of the show”.

On Monday, it was revealed an independent review into “inappropriate behaviour” by MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace had upheld more than half of the allegations against him.

A few hours later, Wallace’s former MasterChef co-presenter, John Torode, said an allegation he used “racial language” was upheld in the report as part of a review.

After the report was published, Wallace, 60, said he was “deeply sorry” for causing any distress, and never set out to “harm or humiliate”.

Torode, 59, said he had “no recollection of the incident” and said he “did not believe that it happened,” and said he was “shocked and saddened by the allegation”.

Mr Davie said the BBC’s leadership team would not “tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values,” while BBC chair Samir Shah acknowledged there were still pockets within the broadcaster where “powerful individuals” can still “make life for their colleagues unbearable”.

They said several BBC staff members had been dismissed in the last three months, following an independent review into workplace culture.

Wallace, who was sacked from MasterChef last week, is not included in that count as he was not directly contracted by the corporation, but employed by independent production company Banijay.

The corporation has yet to decide if the unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired or not.

News of the findings in the Gregg Wallace report came just hours before the BBC was deemed to have breached its editorial guidelines by failing to disclose that the child narrator of a Gaza documentary was the son of a Hamas official.

Media watchdog Ofcom subsequently launched its own investigation into the programme.

While the 2024-25 annual report showed a small rise in trust overall for the corporation, Mr Davie acknowledged it had been a year which saw the reputation of the BBC damaged by “serious failings” in the making of the documentary.

The BBC boss acknowledged: “It was important that the BBC took full responsibility for those failings and apologised for them,” and later in response to a question, called the documentary – Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone – “the most challenging editorial issue I’ve had to deal with”.

He went on: “The importance of fair balance reporting, the need for high-quality homegrown programming in the face of massive pressure, I think has never, ever been greater. And I believe my leadership and the team I’ve assembled can really help the BBC thrive in that environment and very competitive environment.”

BBC boss has chair’s ‘full support’

Despite a series of failings in recent months – including livestreaming the controversial Bob Vylan set at Glastonbury last month – Mr Davie insisted he can “lead” the organisation in the right direction.

When asked if he would resign, he replied: “I simply think I’m in a place where I can work to improve dramatically the BBC and lead it in the right way.

“We will make mistakes, but I think as a leadership and myself, I’ve been very clear, and I think we have been decisive.”

He said the organisation was setting a “global standard” for media.

Mr Shah, reiterated his support for Mr Davie.

“Tim Davie and his team, and Tim in particular, has shown very strong leadership throughout all this period and he has my full support.”

The report also revealed its top earners, which saw former Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker top the chart once again.

Meanwhile, Australian children’s cartoon Bluey proved a boon for the broadcaster, and was the most watched show in the US across all genres – with 55 billion minutes viewed.

The top 10 shows watched over Christmas 2024 were also all from the BBC.

Recent annual reviews have been overshadowed by the Huw Edwards scandal and allegations of a toxic environment around flagship show Strictly Come Dancing.

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