The United Kingdom government on Tuesday ordered all poultry in England to be kept inside due to escalating cases of avian influenza. The order is set to take effect from Thursday.

A statement detailed the new mandatory housing rules: “The new measures mean bird keepers across the whole of England must house all poultry and captive birds if they keep more than 50… or if they sell or give eggs away,” a statement said.

Similar limited restrictions had already been made in parts of north, central, and eastern England last week.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss explained the necessity of the expanded measure: “Given the continued increase in the number of avian influenza cases in kept birds and wild birds across England, we are now taking the difficult step to extend the housing measures to the whole of England.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs assured the public that the risk to human health remained “low” and that “properly cooked” poultry and eggs were safe to eat.

According to the Europe-wide ESA animal health monitor, there were 85 recorded avian flu outbreaks in poultry farms across Europe between August 1 and late October, with 28 occurring in the last week of that period.

Of those, six outbreaks were in Britain. In January, following an uptick in cases, the UK government had previously ordered mandatory culls in England of birds within a three-kilometre (1.8-mile) radius of a confirmed case, alongside stepped-up hygiene measures and controls across wider areas.

The virus is known to spread through droppings and saliva or contaminated food and water. Vaccinations against bird flu are currently not allowed in the UK, except in zoos.