Bird flu found at Drenthe farm; First report since March
Bird flu has returned to the Netherlands after an absence of approximately six months. The disease was confirmed at a broiler breeder farm in Gasselternijveenschemond, near Stadskanaal in Drenthe, the Ministry of Agriculture reported. The last time a Dutch farm had a bird flu infection was in Putten in March.
About 71,000 birds were culled at the infected farm in Gasselternijveenschemond. Six other poultry farms are located within a 3-kilometer radius of the infected farm. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) is monitoring them closely.
The NVWA also imposed a transport ban on the 25 farms within a 10-kilometer radius. No animals, eggs, manure, or litter may be moved from these farms. The farms in this area are also obliged to keep their birds caged, and hobby farmers have to get their birds screened. This is to reduce the risk of wild birds spreading the disease.
Up until 2021, bird flu occurred in the Netherlands every few years during the winter. But since then, outbreaks have become more frequent and year-round, NOS reported. Bird flu can be fatal for birds. Human infection only occurs through very close contact with infected birds. This is rare, and the disease is typically not dangerous to humans.
Due to the increasing outbreaks, the Netherlands is experimenting with vaccinating birds against the disease. The experiment is looking into protecting birds against bird flu and the effect of using the vaccine on trade.
