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Bird flu at Dutch poultry farms in 2020/2021
Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) has confirmed yet another introduction of bird flu at a Dutch poultry farm. It concerns the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain on a laying hen farm in Sint-Oedenrode.
To prevent the virus from spreading, the farm was culled by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). In the 1 kilometer zone around the infected farm there are two other poultry farms that were culled to prevent viral spread. In total, this concerns approximately 132,000 animals.
There are seven other poultry farms in the 3 kilometer zone, these farms have been tested negative for bird flu.
In the 10 kilometer zone, there are 26 other poultry farms. In this zone a transport ban applies. This ban covers poultry, eggs, poultry manure and used bedding, as well as other animals and certain products from commercial poultry companies.
Overview of previous Dutch farms with bird flu
Below is an overview of previous bird flu infections on commercial poultry farms in the Netherlands in 2020/2021.
Location | Type of farm | Number of animals | Type | Date test result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Moergestel | Turkeys | 18,000 | HPAI H5N8 | 5 Jan |
Buitenpost | Breeding farm - chickens | 28,000 | HPAI H5N1* | 15 Dec |
Sint Annaparochie | Broilers | 21,000 | HPAI H5N8 | 7 Dec |
Maasland | Chickens | 500 | HPAI H5N8 | 5 Dec |
Hekendorp | Laying hens | 100,000 | HPAI H5N8 | 22 Nov |
Witmarsum | Broilers | 90,000 | HPAI H5N8 | 21 Nov |
Terwolde | Meat ducks | 20,000 | HPAI H5N8 | 13 Nov |
Lutjegast | Laying hens | 48,000 | HPAI H5N8 | 10 Nov |
Puiflijk | Laying hens | 100,000 | HPAI H5N8 | 5 Nov |
Altforst | Broiler breeders | 35,700 | HPAI H5N8 | 29 Oct |
HPAI = highly pathogenic avian influenza
*H5N1 bird flu
Measures
All current national measures, such as the obligation to house commercially kept poultry, will remain in full force. As of this week, for keepers of laying hens, breeding animals and broilers a stricter reporting obligation is in place. They must report the loss of animals to the NVWA sooner. This allows bird flu infections to come to light earlier and reduces the risk of spreading.
In addition, zoos, petting zoos and hobby bird owners are required to shield their poultry and waterfowl so that these animals do not come into contact with wild waterfowl and their droppings. This can be done, for example, by keeping the animals in an aviary or by placing them in a run. Furthermore, a ban has been imposed on the display of ornamental poultry and water birds.
Wild birds
In particular in the north and west of the Netherlands, sick or dead wild birds are currently found that test positive for avian flu. These birds are sent and examined. The advice is not to pick up dead birds yourself, but to report this to the Dutch Wildlife Health Center or the NVWA. Every week the NVWA places an update on the website where dead wild birds are found that are infected with the virus. Or see the overview map by WBVR elsewhere on this page.
Bird flu
The latest developments on avian influenza research
