Bird flu suspected in Bremen: protective measures for hobby owners take effect

Bird flu suspected in Bremen: protective measures for hobby owners take effect

There are currently worrying developments regarding bird flu in Bremen. Again Weser courier reported, samples from two wild birds were submitted for laboratory testing at the end of October. The results of these investigations are still pending, but the situation is being monitored closely. There are currently no confirmed cases of bird flu in Bremen, but protection and surveillance zones were set up after an outbreak in a laying hen farm in Stuhr on October 17th.

The protection zone has a radius of three kilometers, while the surveillance zone covers a radius of ten kilometers. These zones affect, among other things, parts of Huchting and Bremen Airport, while Vahr, Horn-Lehe and Hemelingen are not in the surveillance zone. In both zones there is a strict housing requirement for poultry, and it is recommended that poultry outside of these zones also be kept indoors. Around 3,000 poultry are affected by the stable requirement, which applies until November 17, 2025.

Bird flu H5N1 and its consequences

But avian influenza is not only spreading in Bremen. The H5N1 virus took hold early and intensively throughout Germany in autumn 2025. To deal with the situation, over 500,000 domestic and wild birds have already had to be killed to prevent further spread, reports rnd.de. Federal Minister Alois Rainer calls for community teaching on increased protective measures and appeals to poultry farmers to strictly adhere to hygiene rules and avoid contact with wild birds.

The federal states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Brandenburg are particularly affected, where numerous animals, especially cranes, have already died from the virus. In Lower Saxony, for example, 20,500 turkeys had to be culled, and in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania a total of almost 150,000 animals had to be killed on large farms with laying hens. In Bremen, around 30 hobbyists in the protection zone are also affected, while around 280 in the surveillance zone suffer from the new regulations.

Tips for poultry farmers

The symptoms of poultry infection with H5N1 are alarming. Sick animals show apathy, refusal to eat, high fever, diarrhea and breathing problems. Poultry farmers should monitor their animals closely and inform the veterinary office if suspected cases occur. As the daily news emphasizes, it is important not to touch sick or dead wild birds and to keep dogs away from them. According to experts, transmission to humans remains unlikely, but precautionary measures should still be given top priority.

Health authorities are trying to assess the risks and, if necessary, impose new protective measures depending on the results of laboratory tests. It is hoped that the situation can be brought under control soon in order to protect poultry farmers affected by this crisis and effectively stop the spread of the virus.