20 October 2026
The United Kingdom has confirmed its first commercial outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) for the 2026/2027 winter season, detected at a poultry farm in North Northumberland.
The infection was officially confirmed on 19 October 2026 at a premises near Belford, North East England. Laboratory analysis identified the virus as H5N1 belonging to clade 2.3.4.4b, the lineage responsible for substantial wild bird and commercial poultry losses across Europe in recent seasons. The affected holding houses approximately 30,000 commercial egg-laying hens.
The Belford confirmation marks the formal onset of the high-risk winter transmission window for British poultry producers.
