Outbreak of avian influenza in Greußen
An outbreak of avian influenza has broken out in a poultry flock in Greußen (Kyffhäuserkreis). Of the 147 animals, one goose and ten ducks had already died at the weekend, the Thuringian Ministry of Health announced in Erfurt on Thursday. The chickens, however, showed no symptoms. Samples were taken on suspicion of avian influenza - all contained the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1, it said.
According to the Ministry of Health, all animals in the flock must be killed. In addition, a protection zone with a radius of three kilometers and a surveillance zone with a radius of ten kilometers will be established. This means that the Sömmerda district is also affected by the protection zone and the Unstrut-Hainich district by the surveillance zone. According to the information provided, the epidemiological investigations are continuing.
Cases of bird flu have also been reported in other parts of Germany. In one farm in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, this led to the killing of tens of thousands of turkeys. According to the Ministry of Agriculture in Schwerin, the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H5N1 subtype is also involved there.
According to the Thuringian Ministry of Health, a total of 22 cases of avian influenza in domestic poultry and wild birds have been reported in the federal states of Bavaria, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein since October 1, 2023.
The concerned avian influenza outbreak poses a potential threat to both the health of humans and other animals in the surrounding areas. Strict measures are being implemented to prevent the spread of the H5N1 virus, including the culling of all animals in the affected flock.
Source: www.dpa.com
