First case of avian influenza in Brandenburg this fall
The first case of avian influenza in Brandenburg this fall has been detected on a farm in the district of Ostprignitz-Ruppin. As the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health announced in Potsdam on Friday, the avian influenza pathogen H5N1 was confirmed in turkeys. On the instructions of the veterinary office, around 11,500 of the birds were killed. According to a spokesperson, these are the animals that may have come into contact with the infected turkeys.
"For several weeks now, the disease has been increasingly present in wild birds and also in poultry flocks in neighboring federal states and throughout Europe," said State Secretary for Consumer Protection Antje Töpfer in a statement. The risk of the disease being carried into a farm is "high".
As a measure, the responsible veterinary office has now set up a protection zone within a radius of at least three kilometers around the farm. There is also a surveillance zone within a radius of ten kilometers that extends into the districts of Havelland and Prignitz as well as the district of Stendal in Saxony-Anhalt. Strict restrictions now apply to poultry farming in these zones. Avian influenza is an animal disease that can lead to the mass death of birds.
The detection of avian influenza in Brandenburg raises concerns about the spread of diseases among various animal species. This particular strain, H5N1, has been prevalent in wild birds and poultry farms in neighboring regions and across Europe for several weeks.
Source: www.dpa.com
