A strain of bird flu has been detected at a chicken farm in mid Suffolk on Tuesday, officials have confirmed.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said 27,000 birds at the farm would be slaughtered following the discovery. It is the first outbreak since June 2017.
A 1km restriction zone has been implemented to limit the risk of the disease spreading.
The strain has been identified as “low pathogenic avian flu” which means the risk to public health is “very low”.
Meanwhile the Food Standards Agency said there is no food safety risk for UK customers as long as poultry products, including eggs, are thoroughly cooked.
Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: “Bird keepers should remain alert for any signs of disease, report suspected disease immediately and ensure they are maintaining good biosecurity on their premises.
“We are urgently looking for any evidence of disease spread associated with this strain to control and eliminate it.”
Dr Gavin Dabrera, public health consultant at Public Health England, added: “Avian flu (often called bird flu) is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public’s health is very low.
“As a precaution, we are offering public health advice and antivirals to those who had contact with the affected birds, as is standard practice.”
A detailed investigation is under way to determine the most likely source of the outbreak.