Bird flu shock in the Vechta district: thousands of turkeys must die!

Bird flu shock in the Vechta district: thousands of turkeys must die!

The situation surrounding bird flu has worsened after the first officially confirmed outbreak in the Vechta district was announced last Sunday. This affects a turkey fattening farm in which around 14,600 turkey cocks aged 14 weeks are kept. The first symptoms appeared on Friday and a rapid test confirmed the fears of avian influenza. As a result, the operation was immediately temporarily closed and all affected turkeys were killed on Monday to prevent the virus from spreading further. The state of Lower Saxony then issued a general animal disease official order, which also provides for the establishment of restriction zones. This includes a protection zone of 3 kilometers and a surveillance zone of 10 kilometers around the affected establishment, such as OM Online reported.

Bird flu, also known as HPAI H5N1, is spreading in Germany to a worrying extent. Similar outbreaks have occurred in several federal states in recent weeks, including Baden-Württemberg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In Baden-Württemberg alone, 15,000 animals recently had to be killed, and thousands of cranes also became ill and died. According to the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, the risk of further outbreaks has increased to "high", highlighting how serious the situation is. The responsible federal ministry has repeatedly called for increased protective measures to be introduced to stop the spread of the virus and limit damage to agriculture, informed daily news.

Impact on the region

The effects are not only noticeable for agriculture. The Vechta district has asked citizens not to touch sick or dead birds themselves and instead to report them to the responsible authorities. Several dead cranes and other wild birds have already been reported in the region. In total, the Diepholz district received over 140 reports of animals found dead. This creates an urgent need to educate yourself about the danger and how to behave correctly ZDF today reported.

Even if there is currently no particular risk of serious illness for humans, it is advised to avoid contact with sick birds. In addition, transmission of the virus through poultry products could theoretically be possible, but so far there is no evidence of infections through food. In Germany, extensive biosecurity measures are required to protect the health of the population and poultry stocks.

A look at the national situation

The situation in Germany is alarming. It is estimated that more than 200,000 chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys have already been killed due to outbreaks this year. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute has currently recorded 29 outbreaks in wild birds, and the number is continually increasing. The crane population is particularly affected, around 2,000 of which have already died from avian influenza. The government has even submitted a request to the EU to increase the compensation limit for the culled animals from 50 euros to up to 110 euros in order to support the affected poultry farmers.

In summary, bird flu poses a serious threat to the domestic poultry industry and the entire population is called upon to remain vigilant and follow necessary protective measures.