Due to the increased detection of highly pathogenic bird flu (also called bird flu or avian flu) in wild birds, certain parts of the country in Burgenland, Lower and Upper Austria and Carinthia have now been declared areas with a greatly increased risk of bird flu.
As the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) announced in a press release on Monday, the stable requirement applies to 50 or more birds from Tuesday until further notice. Poultry farmers who keep fewer than 50 animals are exempt from this housing requirement, provided that they ensure that ducks and geese are separated from other poultry and that their animals are protected from contact with wild birds.
The rest of Germany remains an area with an increased risk of bird flu; here, the applicable biosecurity measures must continue to be respected. According to AGES, the measures are intended to protect domestic poultry against infection as best as possible.
Virus usually fatal to chickens and turkeys
The virus can be easily transmitted to domestic poultry through infected wild birds or their droppings and is usually fatal to chickens and turkeys. So far, no human diseases have been detected in the current epidemic situation in Europe.
Mammals (including pigs, horses, cats, dogs, foxes, badgers, martens, otters and mink) can also become infected with bird flu viruses and become ill. The (A)H5N1 subtype, currently found in Europe, is poorly adapted to humans and no diseases have been observed to date. Sporadic transmissions of bird flu to humans have been reported in other parts of the world.
Virus can now also be detected in summer
Due to an adaptation of the avian influenza virus to wild birds, the entire epidemiological situation has changed: while previous epidemics in the EU occurred in the winter months, the virus is now persistently present in the EU also during the summer months.
Source: Krone
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