Almost 1.8 million farmed and captive birds have been culled in the past three months because of the spread of avian flu across the UK, the BBC has learned. There have been 33 outbreaks of the virus on farms so far, but the risk to humans remains low, with chicken and eggs safe to eat if properly cooked, the government says.

From Sunday 16 February, birdkeepers in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Merseyside, and Lancashire must house their birds in response to rising

The move by the Stormont minister is part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in Northern Ireland, which was introduced on 18 January this year.