Bird flu confirmed on Cavan turkey farm

Department of Agriculture confirmed the outbreak earlier today.

A CASE of bird flu in Co Cavan brings to five confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in Ireland.

According to the Department of Agriculture "An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in a turkey flock in Co. Cavan on December 1."

It is the fourth confirmed case of bird flu in a commercial flock in the Republic of Ireland.

There have been several outbreaks in the North.

Outbreaks were confirmed in Co. Carlow on November 4, Co. Meath on November 5, Co. Monaghan on November 10, and Co. Laois on November 21,

From November 10, an order has been in place for all poultry and captive birds to "be confined in a secure building to which wild birds cannot gain access".

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said DAFM's laboratories have completed 821 avian influenza screening tests for suspected in poultry, captive birds and wild birds since September, 1.