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Bird flu wave in the Harburg district: 39,000 animals affected!
A new bird flu outbreak has been detected in the Cloppenburg district. 5,000 turkeys had to be killed and security measures are in place.
Bird flu wave in the Harburg district: 39,000 animals affected!
A new outbreak of bird flu is causing excitement and massive measures in the Harburg district, Lower Saxony. According to confirmation by the Friedrich Löffler Institute (FLI), around 39,000 animals, including 13,000 geese and 26,000 ducks in the Tostedt community, had to be killed. But that's not all: a new case in the Cloppenburg district has also caused concern, where 5,000 animals were killed in a turkey farm due to the virus.
In order to prevent the spread of the virus, a protection zone with a radius of three kilometers and a monitoring zone of ten kilometers were set up around the affected company. Within a radius of ten kilometers, all poultry are required to be kept in stables, regardless of the number of animals. In recent days, this regulation has also been expanded to include poultry farms with 50 or more animals in the Harburg district. Safety measures must be consistently implemented to prevent further spread.
Current bird flu situation
Lower Saxony is particularly affected with a total of 28 active outbreaks in kept animals. The Cloppenburg district in particular has the highest number of outbreaks with 11 cases, which is due to the dense livestock farming in this region. In Germany, the risk of further outbreaks is now classified as “high” and experts advise strictly adhering to hygiene rules. The Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer has called on poultry farmers to avoid contact with wild birds and to report any findings of sick or dead birds to the authorities.
Bird flu is caused by the HPAIV (H5N1) virus, which is often fatal in animals. Even if the population is currently not at increased risk of serious illness, precautionary measures should be taken. A seasonal flu vaccination is recommended for people who have frequent contact with poultry to avoid double infections. A look at the further situation shows: In Baden-Württemberg, 15,000 animals have already been killed in a poultry farm, while an estimated 2,000 cranes have also fallen victim to the viral outbreaks.
Economic impact
The massive culls could potentially lead to increases in the price of duck and goose meat, posing a major challenge for farmers. In order to avert the economic damage, the Federal Ministry plans to increase the EU's upper limit for compensation payments from the current 50 euros to up to 110 euros. Farmers are also being asked to tighten their hygiene measures to protect their stocks.
Bird flu is widespread in Germany all year round, but reaches a new level of spread with the autumn bird migration. The FLI has identified an alarming situation here with over 29 recorded outbreaks in wild birds and the associated animal damage. Veterinary authorities are on alert to prevent another outbreak.
Due to current developments, poultry farmers in Lower Saxony and beyond are called upon to comply with all necessary safety measures. Only through consistent handling can the further spread of bird flu be contained and the economy protected from damage.
For more information about the current situation, readers can read reports from NDR as well as the comprehensive range of knowledge from daily news consult about bird flu.