ETIDIOH - NEW

  From:  UK Health Security Agency Published:  16 March 2026 Last updated:  16 March 2026  Update 16 March The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is continuing to investigate an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Kent with 13 cases notified since 13 March. Sadly, this includes 2 people who are known to have died . Investigations have confirmed some of the cases visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 to 7 March prior to becoming unwell. UKHSA’s health protection team is working closely with the nightclub and partners including the University of Kent to limit the spread. UKHSA is now advising anyone who visited Club Chemistry on 5 March, 6 March or 7 March to come forward for preventative antibiotic treatment as a precautionary measure.  This can be collected from the following sites: -- Senate Building at University of Kent , CT2 7NZ – open until 8pm on Monday 16 March (queue closes 7.15pm) and from 9am to 8pm on Tuesday 17 March. -- Gate Clinic, Ke...

{England, North Yorkshire} 22.7k commercial pheasant rearing premises. Samples taken were positive for HPAI H5N1. Birds presented clinical signs prior to testing. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7337 ____

  {England, Suffolk}  10,532 bird duck breeder flock. Samples taken were positive for HPAI H5N1. Birds presented clinical signs prior to testing. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7217 ____

  {England, Kent} Laying flock with around 31K birds. Samples taken were positive for HPAI H5N1. Birds presented clinical signs prior to testing. {England, Suffolk} Backyard flock. Samples taken were positive for HPAI H5N1. Birds presented clinical signs of AI prior to testing. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7081 ____

  Latest update The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified a new recombinant mpox virus in England in an individual who had recently travelled to Asia .   -- Genomic sequencing showed that the mpox genome contained elements of clade Ib and IIb mpox .  -- This is not unexpected as both clades are circulating , but highlights the continued potential for mpox virus to evolve and the importance of continued genomic surveillance.     -- UKHSA continues to assess the significance of the strain.   Dr Katy Sinka, Head of Sexually Transmitted Infections at UKHSA, said:    '' Our genomic testing has enabled us to detect this new mpox strain . It’s normal for viruses to evolve, and further analysis will help us understand more about how mpox is changing.   '' Although mpox infection is mild for many, it can be severe . Getting vaccinated is a proven effective way to protect yourself against severe disease, so please make su...

  Authors: Freja CM Kirsebom{1}, Catherine Thompson{2}, Tiina Talts{2}, Beatrix Kele{2}, Heather J Whitaker{3}, Nurin Abdul Aziz{1}, Christopher Rawlinson{1}, Rebecca E Green{1}, Catherine Quinot{1}, Nicholas Gardner{1}, Elizabeth Waller{1}, Alex Allen{1}, Conall H Watson{1,4}, Suzanna LR McDonald{1}, Maria Zambon{2}, Richard Pebody{4,5}, Mary Ramsay{6,7}, Katja Hoschler{2}, Anika Singanayagam{*2,4}, Jamie Lopez Bernal{*1,4}  {*} Joint last authors  {1} Immunisation and Vaccine-preventable Diseases Division, UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London  {2} Respiratory Virus Unit (RVU), UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London  {3} Modelling Division, UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London  {4} NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections, Imperial College London, United Kingdom  {5} Epidemic and Emerging Infections Directorate, UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London  {6} Public Health Programmes Directorate, UK H...

  {England} Mixed commercial premises with 32.7k ducks and 11.6k broilers. Samples taken were positive for HPAI H5N1. Birds presented clinical signs of AI prior to testing. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6987 ____

  {England, Suffolk} Turkey fattening unit.  Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6954 ____

  {England} Premises of 32,000 free range laying hens. Samples taken were positive for HPAI H5N1. Birds presented clinical signs prior to testing. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6914 ____

{England} 300k laying hen premises. Samples were taken and were tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Clinical signs were presented prior to testing. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6907 ____

  {England, Cumberland} A chicken breeders flock of 43,339 birds. Increased mortality and other clinical signs (lethargy, respiratory distress, swollen heads, tremors, watery diarrhoea and excessive oral discharge) were reported. Samples taken and were tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6824 ____

  ABSTRACT Amoeboflagellates of the genus Naegleria are free-living protists ubiquitously found in soil and freshwater habitats worldwide. They include the “brain-eating amoeba” Naegleria fowleri , an opportunistic pathogen that causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis , a rare but fatal infection of humans. Beyond their direct pathogenicity, protists can also act as environmental reservoirs for intracellular bacterial pathogens , such as Legionella spp., to persist and multiply in the environment. In this study, we carried out single-cell genome sequencing of two uncultivated Naegleria species isolated from the River Leam in England . From single cells, we generated two highly complete Naegleria genomes . Phylogenetic analyses placed these species as close relatives of Naegleria fultoni and Naegleria pagei . Exploring Naegleria evolutionary genomics, we identified gene families encoding antistasin-like domains, which have been characterized as factors that inhibit coagulation in...

  {By gary noon - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4077294 } __ {England, Devon} Premises with 5200 pheasants. Increased mortality, reduced water consumption and other clinical signs were reported. Samples were taken and were tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6716 ____

{England, Norfolk} Commercial indoor unit with 59562 turkeys. Increased mortality and other clinical signs were reported. Samples were taken and were tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6693 ____

By gary noon - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4077294 {England, Somerset} A game rearing site with approx. 2.500 9-week-old pheasants. Increased mortality and other clinical signs were reported. Samples were taken and were tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6679 ____

Abstract H5Nx clade 2.3.4.4b high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) have been detected repeatedly in Great Britain (GB) since autumn 2020, with H5N1 dominating detections but with low level detection of H5N5 during 2025. Globally, these viruses have caused mass mortalities in captive and wild avian and mammalian populations , including terrestrial and marine mammals . H5N1 has been the dominant subtype, and whilst incursions have overlapped temporally, occurrences have often been spatially distinct. Here, we report the detection of a mortality event in wild birds on the Norfolk coastline in the east of England, where H5N1 HPAIV was detected in five Great Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus) and a Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis). Interestingly, at the same site, and as part of the same mortality event, a total of 17 Great Black-backed Gulls, one Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), one Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) and one Northern Fulmar tested positive for H5N5 HPAIV...

A small commercial flock of 69 chickens, 23 ducks and 5 geese. Increased mortality reported in chickens as well as a drop in egg production in the ducks. Samples were taken and tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Location:  Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6552 ____

Abstract Surveillance of influenza A viruses in pigs (SwIAV) is critical for identification of novel genetic groups that pose a risk to pig health and might have zoonotic potential . SwIAVs circulating in pigs in England between 2014 and 2021 were characterised using whole genome sequencing (WGS). Haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) sequencing data from 82 of 368 influenza A positive samples (71 submissions) were determined, identifying H1N1 and H1N2 subtypes from the 1A classical swine and 1B human-seasonal lineages respectively. The 1B lineage viruses were predominant, accounting for 68.29% of sequenced viruses, with 1A lineage viruses comprising 31.71%, primarily from the 1A.3.3.2 clade (2009 H1N1 pandemic origin). This study characterised previously undefined diversity within the 1B lineage which led to the designation of new HA clades 1B.1.1.1, 1B.1.1.2 and 1B.1.1.3. Complete genome data were obtained from 64/82 viruses thereby updating the definition of genetic diversity t...

{England} Backyard flock of 40 chickens. Increased mortality and other clinical signs were reported. Samples tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6401 ____

{England} Small ~53 chicken backyard flock, commercial premises (egg sold). Increased mortality and other clinical signs for HPAI were reported. Samples taken tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6373 ____