Thousands of turkey’s have been killed (Image: Getty)
Thousands of turkeys have been killed just days before in a horror bird flu outbreak.
It is no doubt that turkey is a staple on a Christmas dinner and although most of the festive season’s big birds have already been prepared, some may have been destined for our dinners.
Turkey farms have been hit particularly hard by the outbreak with .
Eight of the infected sites are in , and these include five turkey farms, one duck farm, one chicken farm and a non-commercial site home to emus and aviary birds.
Avian influenza has reportedly been found in 11 sites across the UK since November (Image: Getty)
Yorkshire has two reported cases while a small holding near St Ives in Cornwall is the final known case.
It is understood all birds have been humanely culled and owners compensated, with the vast majority being commercial animals.
All poultry and other captive birds in parts of Yorkshire and the East of England will need to be kept indoors from today (December 23).
The order came into force across the East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk from midday.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) upgraded the risk of bird flu in wild birds to very high earlier this month but the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it still considers the risk bird flu poses to human health to be very low.
This is the first outbreak of bird flu in captive animals since February. No humans have tested positive.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says the threat to food safety is also very low.
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Aled Edwards, Head of England Field Delivery said: “Scientists, vets and field teams from the Animal and Plant Health Agency are working hard to help tackle the spread of avian influenza and ensure bird keepers are kept up to date and supported.”
It is believed that the disease spread quickly due to stormy weather which increases the risk of transmition between wild to captive animals.
What is bird flu and does it affect humans
Bird flu, also known as avian flu, is an extremely infectious virus that spreads among birds.
Although it rarely affects humans, mild symptoms can include:red eyes, mild respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, tiredness, muscle aches, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, and headache
While more severe symptoms can include: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, seizures, pneumonia, and encephalitis