Bird flu found at Dutch farm; All NL poultry caged

All poultry in the Netherlands must be confined indoors with immediate effect, Minister Carola Schouten of Agriculture announced after highly pathogenic bird flu was found at an organic poultry farm in Zeewolde. Dead wild birds found in the northern Netherlands and infected wild birds in Germany also contributed to the order to cage Dutch poultry.

Zoos, petting zoos, and owners of hobby birds like pigeons and parakeets, and owners of chickens are obliged to confine their birds to prevent them from contact with sick wild birds or their droppings as much as possible. This can be done, for example, by keeping the birds in an aviary.

To prevent the virus from spreading, the approximately 36,000 animals on the Zeewolde farm will be culled by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).

There are six other poultry farms in an area of 3 kilometers around the infected Zeewolde farm. The animals on these farms will be tested for bird flu. A total of nine poultry farms are within a 10-kilometer radius of the infected farm. The Ministry imposed a transport ban on these companies - they are not allowed to transport poultry, eggs, manure, used bedding, other animals, and animal products for the time being.

The Ministry also called on Netherlands residents to report any dead wild birds they come across so that these can be tested for bird flu. Information about how to report can be found on the NVWA website.