Bird flu of the H5 type has been detected in a breeding company in the Belgian town of Esen near Diksmuide (West Flanders). It is the first infection in Belgium this season. This concerns a highly pathogenic variant of the virus. This was reported by the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC).
The last infection in Belgium at a poultry farm dates from February this year. No infected wild birds have been found in the country in the past 2 months. Nevertheless, the FASFC is not surprised by this find. “Developments in recent weeks in Belgian neighboring countries, where relatively few infected wild birds were found but a number of outbreaks have recently been identified on poultry farms, show that the virus is still circulating in Northwestern Europe,” FASFC reports in a statement. statement.
To prevent further spread of the virus, any poultry that is still present will be culled – as stipulated in European and Belgian legislation. A protection zone of 3 km and a surveillance zone of 10 km will be established around the fireplace. Strict biosecurity measures are imposed in the zones. In the 10 km zone, poultry from all keepers (including private keepers and hobby keepers) must be shielded. In the 3 km zone, this applies not only to poultry but also to birds.
The confirmation of the highly pathogenic nature of this bird flu outbreak also means that Belgium loses its disease-free status at international level.
2023-12-02 10:21:00
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