Outbreaks of Koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease in 2019

KHV is a serious viral disease of fish and is a listed disease in the United Kingdom. It affects all varieties of common and ornamental carp species (Cyprinus carpio) and can result in large scale mortalities.

Fish with KHV disease may show the following signs, especially when water temperatures are between 16 to 28 °C:

necrotic (white or brown) patches on the gills

rough patches on the skin and sloughing mucous

sunken eyes

You must contact the FHI if you suspect an outbreak of KHV. This includes fish with the above signs, or deaths of carp or carp hybrids.

There is no risk to public health.

Controls lifted

Sites with KHV disease must undergo a formal monitoring programme for the duration of the calendar year immediately following the outbreak. The FHI visit these sites to look for evidence of disease and to inspect compliance with the conditions of the statutory controls in place. The controls are removed if the disease doesn’t reoccur during this period.

Some sites choose to cull and disinfect their stocks, rather than undergo monitoring.

Diseases controls lifted at:

Gatwick Koi - The Forge, West Sussex - 8 Jan 2019

Koi Water Garden - Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire - 14 Jan 2019

Bannister House Fishery, Lancashire - 4 Aug 2017

Boating Lake, Northamptonshire - 12 Oct 2017

Church Lane Lake, Essex - 6 July 2018

Newstead and Annesley Country Park, Nottingham - 6 July 2018

Parkers Fishery Pools, West Midland - 6 July 2018

Mawgan Porth Pools and Lake, Cornwall - 9 July 2018

Mill Farm Fishery, Hereford - 13 July 2018

Holme Grange Fishery, Berkshire - 19 July 2018

Clear Water Fisheries, Lancashire - 24 July 2018

Trench Pool, Shropshire - 24 July 2018

Old Hough Fishery, Cheshire - 25 July 2018

Woodside Fishery, Hereford & Worcester - 31 July 2018

Coopers Arms, Derby - 1 August 2018

K Lakes, Skegness - 2 August 2018

Martham Pits, Norfolk - 3 August 2018

Ashland Lakes, Buckinghamshire - 7 August 2018

Shadwell Pool, Greater London - 8 August 2018

Locklands Lake, Lincoln - 9 August 2018

Acton Park Lake, Wrexham - 13 August 2018

Canvey Lake, Essex - 14 August 2018

Stoneham Lakes, Hampshire - 17 August 2018

Lakewood Fisheries, Scunthorpe - 29 August 2018

Middle Pool, Shropshire - 18 September 2018

Gatton Waters, Norfolk - 28 September 2018

Watmore Farm Fishery, Hampshire - 2 October 2018

Orchard Lakes, Hampshire - 3 October 2018

Broadlands Lake Complex, Hampshire - 5 October 2018

Mescar Fishery - Liverpool, Merseyside – 22 July 2019

Orsett Reservoir - Greys, Essex – 24 July 2019

Ash Ponds - Martock, Somerset - 01 August 2019

Theydon Bois Valley Lakes - Epping, Essex - 06 August

Newt Pond - Haverhill, Suffolk - 08 August

Alders Farm Fishery - Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire - 12 August

Priors Carp Fisheries, Essex - 13 August

Marley Pit, Staffordshire - 15 August

JCB Lakes - Rocester, Staffordshire - 30 August

Sivyers Lake, Middlesex - 13 September

Froghall Fisheries, Louth, Lincolnshire - 16 September

Bishops Bowl Fishery, Southam, Warwickshire - 18 September

Harry’s Fishery, Lancashire - 20 September

Denne Farm, Horsham, West Sussex - 30 September

Abingdon Pits, Abingdon, Oxfordshire - 16 October

Stanborough Lakes, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire - 18 October

Kippax Park, Leeds - 26 September 2018

Further information

You can:

view all KHV disease outbreaks, their locations, and controls

find out more about KHV disease

take steps to prevent the introduction and spread of KHV disease

Background

Koi herpesvirus disease (KHV) is a listed disease under The Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009. KHV outbreaks have been subject to statutory controls in the UK since 2007. The UK maintains a surveillance programme for this disease.

When the FHI confirm an outbreak, they take steps to control and, wherever possible, remove the disease. This may involve movement controls on susceptible species in the affected area, enhanced biosecurity, culling of fish, and cleaning and disinfecting of the premises.

Once statutory controls are in place the site operators must write to the FHI to get permission to move live fish into, out of, or within the designated area, and to make material changes to the site or site activities. This also applies to fish eggs and gametes.