The bird flu virus that was found last week on an organic laying hen farm in Biddinghuizen turns out to be a new variant. It is a variant that until now was mainly circulating among black-headed gulls.
This concerns the so-called BB genotype, according to an analysis by Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR), part of Wageningen University & Research.
The contamination at the laying farm in Biddinghuizen shows that this variant can not only infect gulls, but also poultry, says Nancy Beerens, head of the national reference laboratory for avian influenza.
The outbreak, which was diagnosed on July 24, meant that about eleven thousand laying hens had to be culled. It was the first outbreak on a farm since the confinement obligation was lifted on July 6.
The confinement obligation has been in effect since the beginning of October and was intended to prevent direct contact between poultry in a house and infected birds. The decision by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality to withdraw the confinement obligation followed advice from experts. There would no longer be a great risk of bird flu in the poultry sector.
2023-08-01 19:34:00
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