Bird flu alert! Poultry farms to be closed in high-risk areas: "It's becoming a global problem"
Europe is on high alert following a surge in bird flu cases. Following the detection of cases in Spain, Ireland, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and France, ministries have taken action to combat the disease. The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture announced today that, following the detection of new cases in the country, all poultry farms will be required to be kept indoors in high-risk areas starting November 10th.
This year, outbreaks have been reported in 15 of the 27 European Union (EU) member states, with a total of 688 outbreaks reported so far. The number in the same period last year was 189. Germany, the country hardest hit by the pandemic, has reported 58 outbreaks since August. Poultry closures have been ordered in some German states. More than 500,000 birds have been culled on 31 farms in the northeastern state of Brandenburg. Poland, the EU's largest poultry producer, has reported 15 outbreaks, but no decision has yet been made.
Nigel Sweetnam, chairman of the Irish Farmers' Union's National Poultry Committee, confirmed the first outbreak in three years yesterday and ordered all poultry to be kept indoors. "The trajectory of bird flu has completely changed," Sweetnam said. "The situation is very, very worrying."
While France declared a "high" risk for poultry farms nationwide, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture announced that they detected an outbreak at a poultry farm last month, resulting in the culling of 71,000 poultry and an order to keep the birds confined.
At a global multisectoral dialogue held in Brazil, Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), said, "Avian influenza is no longer a local threat; it is becoming a global problem. No country or sector will be able to solve this threat alone. Failure is not an option. Science-based, practical cooperation is vital to protect agri-food systems, livelihoods, and public health." Source: İHA | This content was published by Sedef Karatay .
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