Other cases in farm animals

Brandenburg's Ministry of Consumer Protection yesterday confirmed the first case of H5N1 avian influenza in a farm poultry flock in the Spree-Neisse district. More than 200 ducks, geese and chickens, which had previously shown symptoms of the disease, were affected. The responsible veterinary office initiated the measures provided for in the Avian Influenza Ordinance when the animal disease was detected in a poultry flock. These include the establishment of a protection zone with a radius of 3 km and a surveillance zone with a radius of 10 km around the outbreak holding. The poultry kept in the outbreak flock were culled by order of the competent veterinary office.

Brandenburg's Consumer Protection Minister Ursula Nonnemacher expressed concern that avian influenza had been detected in farm poultry so early in the fall, before any wild finding had even indicated the emergence of the disease. According to her, the cause of the infection in Spree-Neiße is still unclear. Nonnemacher therefore again urged all poultry farmers in the state to comply with biosecurity measures and avoid contact between wild birds and the poultry they keep.

Meanwhile, the highly contagious avian influenza has reappeared in a Danish farm animal herd after months. According to the State Veterinary and Food Administration, the case involves a larger turkey fattening farm with about 28,000 birds in the municipality of Slagelse in western Zealand. The competent veterinary authority has announced the culling of the entire flock for today and has also ordered the designation of the usual quarantine and safety zones here. The last outbreak of avian influenza in the Danish farming sector was recorded on 5 July. Since September, around 50 cases of infected wild birds have also been reported.