News item | 18-09-2022 | 08:19
Bird flu has been diagnosed at a duck farm in Schuinesloot (municipality of Hardenberg, province of Overijssel). It is probably a highly pathogenic variant. To prevent the virus from spreading, the total of approximately 60,000 animals are culled by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
There are 2 other poultry farms in the 1 kilometer zone of the infected farm. These are sampled for bird flu and intensively monitored over the next 14 days for symptoms of disease that may indicate bird flu. In the 3 kilometer zone of the infected company are 5 other poultry farms that are screened for bird flu by the NVWA. There are 36 poultry farms in the 10 kilometer zone. A transport ban applies in the 10 kilometer zone. The company is located in a region where there is no regional confinement obligation. However, there is an obligation to house and shield in the 10 kilometer zone. This already applied in connection with the contamination in Crimea, with which the 10 kilometer zone largely overlaps.
Transport ban
A transport ban applies to all birds and hatching and table eggs from a location with birds. The ban also applies to bird manure and used litter, and to other animals and animal products from poultry farms. In addition, hunting rules apply, for example in this area it is forbidden to hunt ducks or to hunt in areas where this could disturb waterfowl. the current infections on the map in the Animal Disease Viewer of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
National measures
There are still national measures in place, such as a ban on visiting bird roosts of risk birds, unless this is absolutely necessary. Birds at risk include kept gallinaceous birds (such as chickens), waterfowl and ratites.
In a number of regions, the confinement and screening obligation is still in full force. In these regions the house keeping obligation applies to commercially kept birds, these are brought indoors (except pheasants, ornamental waterfowl and ratites). A protection obligation applies to non-commercially kept high-risk birds (fowls/chickens, (ornamental) waterfowl and ratites), for example in zoos, petting zoos and owners of birds and chickens, and commercially kept pheasants, ornamental waterfowl and ratites. The NVWA website states: more information about the confinement and screening obligation. A ban has also been imposed on the display of poultry, waterfowl and ratites.
Traceability Investigation
As usual, in the context of the contamination at this location in Schuinesloot, a tracing investigation is being conducted into high-risk contacts. If necessary, additional measures are taken in response to the results of the investigation. These possible additional measures will be reported via an update in this press release and via the online channels of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV).