Avian influenza in German and Danish poultry farms
Avian flu has broken out on two German poultry farms and also on a Danish farm near the German border. In one farm in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, this led to the killing of tens of thousands of turkeys. A farm in the municipality of Lewitzrand with around 25,000 animals was affected, said a spokesperson for the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim.
The culling of the animals began on Wednesday morning. According to Schwerin Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD), this is the first case in domestic poultry in the state this fall. "It is to be feared that the outbreak will gain further momentum in view of the upcoming cold season."
The highly contagious form of bird flu also broke out in a poultry farm with around 50 animals in Lower Saxony, as the district of Cuxhaven announced on Wednesday. Domestic and wild poultry in particular can quickly become infected. All animals on the affected farm had to be killed. The authorities had already reported an outbreak in a poultry farm with around 39,000 animals at the end of October - albeit with the less contagious form of bird flu.
Avian flu was also detected in a Danish pheasant farm near the German border. The Veterinary and Food Administration also announced on Wednesday that all of the approximately 2,700 animals on the farm near Tønder would be killed due to the risk of infection. According to the information, the pheasants may have been infected by wild birds that stopped off in the area during their autumn migration south. As the surveillance zone extends across the German border, the authorities in Schleswig-Holstein have been informed so that they can take their own steps.
The avian flu poses a threat to the health of not only poultry but also potentially other animals, as demonstrated by the need to cull thousands of turkeys and thousands of pheasants due to outbreaks. This underlines the importance of science in understanding and addressing such threats, such as identifying the origin of the flu and developing effectivecontainment strategies.
Source: www.dpa.com
