Policy paper

Contingency plan for managing certain animal related endemic zoonotic disease incidents in England

Updated 28 July 2022

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Applies to England

This Zoonoses contingency plan describes how Defra will manage incidents of certain endemic zoonotic diseases that occur in England, where direct or indirect animal source of human infection (or potential to cause human infection) is implicated.

An endemic disease means there is an ongoing occurrence of disease within a country.

An exotic disease is one that’s not normally present within a country, including African swine fever, avian influenza and rabies.

The zoonoses contingency plan will be reviewed and updated every 2 years, or sooner if there is a change to pertinent legislation or as the result of lessons learnt by policy to ensure it remains relevant and fit for purpose. The plan will be shared with key partners.

The management of incidents of specified zoonotic and exotic diseases in animals which are not covered by the zoonoses contingency plan are dealt with separately by the contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals in England.

The management of incidents of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies are dealt with separately by the ‘Incident response plan for managing potential cases of transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies in England’. This plan covers Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Scrapie.

The zoonoses contingency plan supports and is complementary to the government’s guidelines for the investigation of zoonotic disease in England and Wales which covers more broadly the roles and responsibilities of different government organisations with respect to managing zoonotic disease incidents.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has an incident management plan which is relevant as this detail’s roles and responsibilities at an operational level.

This contingency plan will complement and support the contingency plan for managing animal-related endemic zoonotic disease incidents when those incidents involved relevant antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria.

The management of incidents that involve antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacteria is covered in the government’s contingency plan to respond to the identification of resistant bacteria from an animal considered to present a high risk for human or animal health.

The AMR contingency plan is owned by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and outlines the process for when resistant bacteria considered of high risk is detected from an animal or group of animals. It covers the responsibilities of the relevant government animal health departments and agencies involved.

Roles and responsibilities of important partners

A brief description of the roles and responsibilities of agencies and departments involved in the management of zoonotic disease incidents.

Defra

The Zoonoses Policy and Endemics team which is part of Defra’s Animal and Plant Health and Welfare (APHW) Directorate is responsible for the development of policy for the majority of zoonotic diseases in animals, in England.

Exceptions are certain exotic and endemic notifiable diseases that are zoonotic, for example:

• West Nile Fever
• Rabies
• Brucella in cattle
• Anthrax
• Avian Influenza
• Newcastle Disease
• Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
• Bovine tuberculosis

The team, which is headed up by the Deputy Director of Exotic and Endemic Disease Control, will maintain, oversee and implement this contingency plan.

Specific responsibilities include:

• liaising with the UK Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO)
• liaising with Defra legal and other policy teams, as appropriate
• liaising with Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
• liaising with devolved governments and relevant departments
• liaising with other government departments and their devolved counterparts, for example Food Standards Agency (FSA), UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as appropriate
• liaising with the European Commission (EC), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other countries, via the UK CVO as applicable
• making sure Defra ministers, press office and other relevant organisations are kept fully informed, seeking their input and views as necessary
• producing and regularly updating press briefing and questions and answers, and liaise with Defra communications and Other Government Department’s (OGDs) where necessary
• issuing up to date information on the incident via the GOV.UK website and relevant government departments and agencies, as appropriate
• securing additional financial and other resources necessary for the implementation of this contingency plan

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)

APHA is an executive agency of Defra. It undertakes scanning surveillance across England and Wales through the provision of diagnostic and investigative services for predominantly farm animal diseases.

Across Great Britain it also oversees the Salmonella National Control Programme and undertakes outbreak response where required and appropriate for notifiable, reportable and non-statutory animal diseases of economic or public health significance. Veterinary advice is provided via the APHA Advice Services team and associated experts within or aligned with the agency.

APHA also investigates and provides advice to human, food and health agencies on animal related issues linked to human outbreaks of zoonotic disease.

Specific responsibilities during the management of zoonotic disease incidents will include:

• provision of expert veterinary, technical and scientific advice
• initiation and co-ordination of the operational Incident response procedures set out in APHA operational instructions and the ‘Animal and Plant Health Agency - Incident Management Plan – One Health Incident’
• field work to investigate and manage incident, including epidemiological investigations, risk assessments, and reporting
• laboratory investigations and diagnostics
• stakeholder liaison (where appropriate and APHA own the relationship) including incident liaison management and ZO4 visits

A ZO4 visit is a full investigatory visit on farm by APHA.

Food Standards Agency (FSA)

The FSA is a non-ministerial government department and the central competent authority responsible for protecting public health and the interests of consumers in relation to food and feed.

The FSA supports the cross-government response to outbreaks of animal disease where there are potential implications for food and feed safety. They will provide advice, food and feed safety risk assessment and risk communication in food and feed safety related issues.

Risk management advice with respect to food and feed safety to cross-government departments responding to the incident can be provided by the FSA, as well as to other stakeholders including local authorities and food and feed business operators. Ordinarily, in zoonotic disease incidents, the FSA’s food and feed risk assessment may need to be informed by veterinary risk assessments undertaken by the APHA.

The FSA is responsible for implementing the food hygiene legislation related to products of animal origin for human consumption. The FSA is responsible for carrying out official controls in approved fresh meat premises in England and Wales.

In suspected zoonotic disease incidents linked to animal slaughter and cutting facilities, the FSA will be involved in inspecting and recommending reapproval of potentially contaminated facilities once they have been cleansed and disinfected to the satisfaction of the official veterinarian. They are also responsible for hygiene and food safety measures at primary production for milk.

The FSA work closely with Local Authority enforcement officers including animal health officers (AHO), environmental health officers (EHO), trading standards officers (TSO) and port health authority officers, in control of zoonotic disease incidents in establishments approved by the FSA on enforcement areas that are the responsibility of Local Authorities (LAs).

Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)

The VMD is an executive agency of Defra. Its remit is to protect animal health and welfare, public health and the environment by assuring the safety, quality and efficacy of veterinary medicines.

The VMD is responsible for monitoring and taking action on reports of adverse events from veterinary medicines. This includes:

• testing for residues of veterinary medicines or illegal substances in animals and animal products
• assessing applications for and authorising companies to sell veterinary medicines
• controlling how veterinary medicines are made and distributed
• advising government ministers on developing veterinary medicines policy and putting it into action
• making, updating and enforcing UK legislation on veterinary medicines

The VMD also has responsibility for advice and implementation of policy on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and will lead on policy interventions that aim to mitigate or limit the risks associated with the emergence and spread of an AMR infectious agent between animals and from animals to people and the environment.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)

The UKHSA is responsible for England-wide public health protection and infectious disease capability. It replaced Public Health England in April 2021. It is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The Emerging Infections and Zoonoses (EIZ) Section in UKHSA’s National Infections Service (NIS) undertakes a range of activities including:

• surveillance of non-foodborne zoonoses for England and Wales
• horizon-scanning and assessment of infectious disease threats
• co-ordinating zoonoses activities across the UKHSA
• providing medical and health protection advice

The section works closely with veterinary, public health and environmental health colleagues on the assessment, management and control of zoonotic disease outbreaks.

The Gastrointestinal Pathogens Unit (GIP) and Reference Microbiology Services in UKHSA’s National Infections Service (NIS) undertakes surveillance of gastrointestinal (GI) pathogens for outbreak detection and management and to provide the evidence base for interventions, national guidance and policy to reduce the burden of infectious intestinal disease in the English population. The unit also provides GI pathogen and epidemiological expertise and health protection advice and leads on the investigations into GI pathogen outbreaks at the national level.

Health protection teams (HPT) provide specialist public health advice and operational support to the NHS, local authorities and other agencies.

Registered medical practitioners have a statutory duty to notify the ‘proper officer’ at their local council or local health protection team (HPT) of suspected cases of certain infectious diseases under the requirements of the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010.

The reporting of notifiable organisms (causative agents) isolated from human samples in public health laboratories is also mandatory under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, as amended in 2010.

Devolved governments

The presence of endemic and zoonotic disease may not be confined to just England, or there may be effects (including the implementation of disease controls) on other territories as a result of an outbreak within the UK. The devolved authorities are an important partner in managing such an outbreak.

The Scottish Government Animal Health and Welfare division, the Animal Disease Policy team in the Welsh Government and the Veterinary Service Animal Health Group in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA, Northern Ireland) are responsible for the development of endemic and zoonotic animal disease policy in their respective administrations. This includes providing an effective and immediate response to a disease outbreak.

The main responsibilities during major cross-border outbreaks include:

• liaising between UK CVOs providing updates and ensuring effective decision making where necessary
• making sure the appropriate ministers are fully informed via the respective policy team
• close liaison with policy teams, reporting on the disease situation in respective administrations, including the policy response
• report findings to other stakeholders as required, which may include devolved public health and food standards agencies
• in the case of Wales, make sure that Welsh slaughterhouses are appropriately designated (on the recommendation of FSA) if animals are to be received from notifiable disease control zones in other administrations
• making sure respective communications teams within other UK administrations are engaged, so that messages delivered are consistent with other administrations and organisations
• contributing to daily situation reports as required

Local Authorities (LAs)

Local authorities and port health authorities have an important role in supporting disease investigations. They have a statutory duty to prepare for and lead the local authority response to incidents that present a threat to public health.

Port health authorities are also responsible for making sure that animal products and feed entering the UK are compliant with relevant legislation to mitigate against disease introduction.

Environment Agency (EA)

The Environment Agency has a role to play in issuing permits for the movement of waste and waste products in relation to zoonotic disease incidents.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

The HSE is the national independent regulator for work-related health and safety and is aligned to the Department of Work and Pensions. It acts in the public interest to reduce work-related death, serious injury and illness across Great Britain’s workplaces.

The HSE has the broad remit of overall responsibility for occupational health and safety through the framework of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

It has day-to-day responsibility for enforcing health and safety legislation through inspection and the investigation of accidents, dangerous occurrences and work-related ill-health. It makes sure risks in the changing workplace are properly controlled.

HSE functions include enforcement responsibility for occupational health and safety in a wide variety of workplaces. In terms of the specific risks associated with biological agents and zoonotic infection, HSE will typically get involved in outbreaks, providing advice and support to any local-level responses. This will include direct involvement on premises where HSE is the enforcing authority and support to local authorities (LAs) on premises where they have enforcement responsibility.

HSE is the enforcing authority for the purposes of health and safety in a wide range of premises and industries including:

• farms
• forestry operations
• abattoirs
• waste disposal and recycling services
• sewage works
• construction and demolition sites
• hospitals and nursing homes
• local authority operated swimming pools
• laboratories
• police, fire and ambulance services
• veterinary services
• educational establishments

LAs have enforcement responsibility in offices, shops (including pet shops) and other parts of the service sector. For example petting farms that are open to the general public and where commercial agriculture is not the main enterprise. Where normally operational farms open their doors for a period of time to members of the public, for example Open Farm Sunday or during lambing season, such premises remain under the enforcement of the HSE in the event of any outbreak of case of zoonoses.

Action on suspicion or confirmation of zoonotic disease in animals

Defra take overarching control and responsibility for the management of certain animal-related endemic zoonotic disease incidents in England. Functional control, including operation activities, operational coordination and Situation Report (SitRep) briefing is delegated to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

APHA has plans and procedures for dealing with cases of reportable zoonotic diseases of animals such as Salmonella, and for some other non-statutory zoonotic diseases such as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and cryptosporidiosis where human cases are linked to direct animal contact. The aim is to provide a flexible and proportionate response to an incident, and once resolved, to review the actions and learn lessons. This will be achieved using the principles and processes outlined in APHA’s Incident Management Plan.

Investigation of other non-statutory zoonoses has been and continues to be undertaken on a case by case basis, as agreed with Defra.

The incident may involve APHA alone or as part of a multi-agency response. The Incident Management Plan focuses on the response structure and individual roles and responsibilities when APHA is the Lead Agency.

Otherwise APHA acts in a support or advisory capacity to the Lead Agency within the relevant Incident Team. The most common endemic zoonotic disease investigations that are carried out at a multi-agency level are Salmonella and STEC, managed either locally or at the national level.

UKHSA, in conjunction with LAs, take the lead for investigating incidents involving human infections in which a zoonotic source is possible and in investigating the implications for public health where there is an outbreak of zoonotic disease in animals with the potential for significant human infection. UKHSA have separate operational guidance for this purpose, see communicable disease outbreak management. Defra and APHA contribute to these investigations in respect of animal sources.

Laboratories have a statutory requirement to report isolations of Salmonella and Q Fever from specified animal species (referred to as reportable disease). Other diseases may become reportable over time. Reports may also come in the form of intelligence via other agencies, veterinary practitioners or members of the public. APHA may also be the first point of contact for non-statutory (that is non-notifiable / reportable) zoonoses in animals.

Risk assessment

The level of response will depend on the criteria of the incident, which may change over time. Once an event has been identified, the One Health representative in APHA will consider the situation, possibly in discussion with the relevant expert in the area, and advise Defra of the incident and suggestions of further actions to be considered and taken.

A formal risk assessment may be undertaken on a case by case basis to determine how the incident should be handled. For example, the number of cases and premises affected, the ability to establish a common link between cases (such as geographical location), the impacts on animal health and welfare and human health, financial and reputational risks are all relevant considerations.

If the incident is assessed as low risk no further action other than circulating information in an agreed format is needed for all those events not included in business as usual.

In higher risk incidents, further assessments will be undertaken to determine if a response is required by APHA alone, or as part of a multi-agency action.

In all cases with the potential for significant human infection, UKHSA will take the lead in managing the incident. If the incident requires major Defra or APHA measures, a separate Incident Management Team led by Defra or APHA may be considered.

APHA will update Defra Zoonoses Policy and Endemics team on progress with the investigation. Based on this information, Defra will decide whether formal briefings to ministers is necessary.

Consideration will also be given to whether the incident warrants a CVO conference/stocktake. The 4 CVOs from the UK, main policy (including Defra Trade and Market Access), communications, operations and relevant experts including stakeholders, for example UKHSA and FSA usually attend.

The objective is to provide an update on the situation and alert senior personnel of the potential for an emergency situation. The CVO conference and stocktake is organised by the CVO UK’s office who also supply the secretariat.

Communications

Communications group

Defra (and APHA) must make sure that Defra’s communications group are fully engaged throughout the incident and are sighted on all significant updates. In most animal-associated zoonotic outbreaks UKHSA will lead the overall management of the incident, they will lead on communications and the Defra communications group will liaise closely with them.

Defra’s communications group is responsible for ensuring that the department has a robust and proportionate communications strategy in place to meet the demands of a disease incident.

They will make sure that Defra internal communication channels, the government’s public website GOV.UK and the Defra Helpline are updated appropriately and manage communications with the media, as appropriate.

They will advise the Secretary of State (SoS), ministers, UK CVO, the Disease Control Centre (DCC) and Defra CSA on communications issues. They will also engage with Regional News Network, establish a communications team as part of any DCC and work with APHA Communications and Regional Operations Directors to set up local presence.

They will make sure communications are aligned across organisations and administrations so that a consistent message is given.

The following should be considered and implemented as part of the communications strategy for handling the incident, as appropriate to the situation. The level of activity will be proportionate to the incident and communications should be considered from the outset.

Consideration should be given to potential trade implications and impact on the food chain. Where appropriate, the relevant trade policy teams and working groups within Defra (for example the Food Chain emergency liaison group) should be included in communications activities.

Daily stocktake meeting (virtual)

Depending on the scale of the incident daily stock-take meetings may be triggered. For incidents associated with human illness, the stocktake may be led by UKHSA, but even in these cases there may be a need for internal discussion within Defra too.

These will be owned by Defra but delegated to the APHA Incident Response Team to chair. This forum will be used to brief attendees on progress, identify and resolve any important issues and agree any changes to communications (internal and external) and making sure the appropriate audience is reached (as detailed in the APHA Incident Management Plan).

Stakeholder engagement

Dependent on the size and location of the incident, proactive industry liaison may be initiated. Communications lines agreed with the Zoonoses Policy and Endemics team and Defra communications may be prepared and shared with industry trade bodies for dissemination to their members.

As it is likely that there may be some initial concern around potential disruption to international trade, agreed communication lines must be shared with the APHA Centre for International Trade as soon as possible. Defra Trade Policy and the Market Access team must consider whether proactive communication to international trading partners should take place.

Expert groups and structures

There are a number of experts/groups which may be consulted for advice, as considered relevant to the situation. For example the:

• National Epidemiology Expert Group (APHA led)
• National Experts Group (APHA led)
• Animal Disease Policy Group (Defra led)
• Advice Services One Health team (APHA)
• species expert leads in APHA

There are also cross-government groups such as the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP), the UK Zoonoses, Animal Diseases and Infections Group (UKZADI) and the Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) group.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate should be consulted for incidents involving pathogens that also have a significant antimicrobial resistance component and/or for those where no effective UK licensed vaccination (if relevant) or treatment is available.

International reporting

The occurrence of certain diseases must be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as part of routine 6 monthly and annual reports.

The report will be commissioned by the Science and International Affairs Team (APHW).

Epidemiological investigations

Dependant on the nature of the incident, a full scale separate epidemiological investigation may not be appropriate.

This will need to be decided on a case by case basis and dependent on decisions taken regarding the need for a full investigation being agreed by the incident management team (IMT), on the nature of the zoonotic agent, number of cases, suspected source of the problem and most importantly whether epidemiological investigation is required to inform the risk management approach.

In cases where defined risk management measures are already laid out in the legislation and deemed appropriate to the situation, further investigation may not be needed.

Compensation

Compensation may be available in limited, specific circumstances when an animal is culled for the control of zoonotic disease.

For more information about how this is calculated read compensation for animals culled to control animal diseases. Determining whether compensation is applicable is for the Zoonoses and Endemics Policy team to investigate and advise on, and should be double checked for each incident.

A list of diseases and if compensation is payable:

Cryptosporidiosis

No compensation is payable.

Hantavirus

No compensation is payable.

Psittacosis

No compensation is payable.

Q Fever

No compensation is payable.

STEC (E Coli)

No compensation is payable.

Salmonella

Chickens: compensation available for mandatory slaughter of breeding flocks under the Animal Health Act 1981 and the Salmonella National Control Programme. Level of compensation is dependent on age, type of birds and level in the production pyramid.

Turkeys: compensation available for mandatory slaughter of breeding flocks under the Animal Health Act 1981 and the Salmonella National Control Programme. Level of compensation is dependent on age, type of birds and level in the production pyramid.

Resources

APHA has stores of equipment and consumables to enable the agency to carry out its routine duties within defined time limits. The normal stock levels would provide for the initial requirements of an outbreak or incident of zoonotic disease in most instances.

However, sample collection from non-livestock species and for testing new or emerging zoonoses may not be covered. Upon activation of this contingency plan, the DCC (or the APHA Veterinary Head of One Health where there is no DCC) will consider the appropriate allocation of resources to combat the incident or outbreak. AHPA has contingency and incident management plans to support requirements.

If necessary, during a large-scale serious outbreak/incident the Director of Animal and Plant Health and Welfare (APHW) Directorate will seek ExCo authority to require the release of further staff from Defra and its agencies to work on emergency duties.

There is an Emergency Response Group established specifically for this purpose and this is overseen by the Defra contingency planning team. Some incidents may require a COBR meeting. DHSC will be the main player in most scenarios, with Defra support.

Finance

There are existing budgets for surveillance and field work. Defra and APHA will monitor spend and promptly flag budgetary issues to senior managers (budget holders - Director of Animal and Plant Health and Welfare (APHW) Directorate and APHA Chief Executive).

Data protection

Data storage and sharing should comply with the Data Protection Act 2018. A circulation list should be established at the outset of the incident. Version control should be established and maintained for all key documents. Data sharing platforms will be utilised where feasible.

Legal framework

The Zoonoses Order 1989 (Statutory Instrument 285/1989), as amended and Animal Health Act (1981), provide the legal powers for investigation and control of Salmonella.

The Zoonoses (Monitoring) (England) Regulations 2007 (Statutory Instrument 2399/2007) provides the legal powers for monitoring for the presence of zoonoses and zoonotic agents, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR is not in scope of this contingency plan as the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) have their own contingency plan for AMR: ‘Response to the identification of a resistant bacterial isolate from an animal, considered to present a high risk for human and/or animal health’.

There is also disease specific legislation which provides further powers in relation to disease investigation and control. These include:

• The Psittacosis Or Ornithosis Order 1953 (Statutory Instrument 38/1953)
• The Control of Salmonella in Poultry Order 2007 (Statutory Instrument 2007 No. 3574) and (Amendment) Order 2019 (Statutory Instrument 2019 No. 971)
• The Control of Salmonella in Turkey Flocks Order 2009 (Statutory Instrument 3271/2009)
• The Control of Salmonella in Broiler Flocks Order 2009 (Statutory Instrument 260/2009)

Defra policy will be responsible for providing advice on the application of legislation and powers of the above legislation during the management of incidents and will seek legal advice where necessary.

Advice may also be sought from other organisations on the applicability of food hygiene, public health, health and safety and trading standards legislation which is not a Defra lead.