On a backyard farm in the western part of Germany, the Baden-Wurttemberg province, high pathogenic H5N8 bird flu was found.
After multiple outbreaks in the eastern part of Europe, this is the first case in western Europe, raising alerts in a new production area.
The damage is small, only 69 birds were on the premises, of which 44 died directly of the virus and the rest destroyed. Photo: Ruud Ploeg
The virus was reported in the town of Bretzfeld, between Stuttgart and Frankfurt am Main, relatively close to the French and Belgium border. The damage is small, only 69 birds were on the premises, of which 44 died directly of the virus and the rest destroyed. After the official report to the OIE poultry organisations in the surrounding countries put out notices to increase awareness and a more stringent focus on biosecurity. The virus is thought to originate from wild birds.
One other case of bird flu was found some weeks ago in the eastern part of Germany in a wild bird.