New bird flu case found in Friesland

A new case of avian influenza was discovered on a 22,000-hen poultry farm in Tzummarum, Friesland. The influenza is most likely a mild H7 variant, the Dutch government says. 

Because the low pathogenic, mild H7 variant can easily mutate into a high pathogenic variant, which is more contagious and deadly for chickens, European rules state that both virus possibilities need to be eliminated by culling the current hen population. The so-called depopulation will be performed by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).

A ban on transporting eggs, poultry, poultry manure and used bedding is in effect for all businesses within a one-kilometer radius of the farm. There is one other poultry farm within the isolated area and it is also being tested for the virus.

Another bird flu case was found only two weeks ago in Barneveld, Gelderland. The influenza case was quarantined on time and it did not spread on other poultry farms.