Newcastle disease found in privately kept pigeons in Oldenzaal; Infected birds culled

A case of Newcastle disease, also known as pseudovogelpest, has been confirmed in privately kept pigeons in Oldenzaal, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture announced Saturday. The infected birds are being culled, and containment measures have been enacted to prevent the spread of the virus.

The disease, which is highly contagious among birds, poses minimal risk to public health, the ministry said. However, Agriculture Minister Femke Wiersma (BBB) has imposed a 10-kilometer restriction zone around the outbreak location. Within this zone, the four commercial poultry farms are banned from transporting birds or eggs.

Although such outbreaks typically trigger a local indoor confinement order—known in Dutch as an ophokplicht—one is already in effect nationwide due to an unrelated outbreak of avian influenza. No additional housing order is therefore needed in this case.

“Newcastle disease is highly contagious for birds,” the ministry stated. “Feces from wild birds are usually the source. The virus survives for long periods in the environment, especially in manure and on the surfaces of materials.”

The pigeons in Oldenzaal were being kept by private individuals, not commercial farms. According to the ministry, outbreaks like this one occasionally occur, but usually at small-scale, non-commercial locations. Dutch law requires mandatory reporting of any outbreak involving more than 50 birds.

Professional poultry farmers are required by law to vaccinate their flocks against Newcastle disease. These vaccinations are a standard part of disease prevention in the poultry industry in the Netherlands.

While the disease can infect humans, it is rare and typically limited to individuals who work closely with infected birds, such as veterinarians. “Most human cases are limited to mild symptoms like conjunctivitis,” the ministry said. There are no known cases of dogs or cats contracting the virus through natural exposure. The Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that the likelihood of further spread is low.