World’s first case of bird flu in sheep detected in England

H5N1 virus found in single animal in Yorkshire but risk to general public is very low, say experts

Bird flu has been detected in sheep for the first time in the world, UK experts have announced, although they stress the risk to livestock and the general public is low.

The H5N1 virus was detected in a single animal in Yorkshire, England, after routine testing that was carried out because the flock was kept on a site where avian influenza had previously been found in birds. No other sheep in the flock was found to be infected.