News item | 24-08-2021 | 11:15
In Heeten (province of Overijsel) bird flu (H5) has been diagnosed in ornamental waterfowl of a bird keeper. It is probably a highly pathogenic variant of bird flu. To prevent the virus from spreading, all approximately 665 ornamental waterfowl from the infected location are culled. The culling is carried out by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
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Transport ban
There are a total of 36 other poultry farms in the 10 kilometer zone around this company. Minister Schouten of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has immediately announced a transport ban in a zone of 10 kilometers around the company in Heeten. A transport ban concerns poultry, eggs, poultry manure and used litter, but also other animals and animal products from farms with reared poultry.
Measures
There are still some national measures for keepers of laying hens, breeding stock and broilers. For example, a stricter reporting obligation applies, whereby poultry farmers must report the loss of their poultry earlier to the NVWA. As a result, infections with bird flu can come to light earlier and the chance of spreading is smaller. There are also measures that apply with regard to the covering and use of bedding for ducks and a ban on visitors for commercially kept birds.
Since July 6, the obligation to keep commercially kept poultry is no longer in force. As a result of this contamination, the Minister of LNV asks the Animal Diseases expert group for a risk assessment for the region concerned and for the whole of the Netherlands. The expert group’s advice is expected this week and, partly on the basis of that advice, it will be decided whether additional measures are needed.
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