Bird flu diagnosed at a poultry farm in Bentelo | news item

News item | 04-01-2022 | 15:56

It cannot be determined from the symptoms of the animals on the infected farm whether it concerns low pathogenic or highly pathogenic bird flu. Low pathogenic bird flu has a milder disease course in poultry and is also less contagious. Highly pathogenic bird flu leads to serious illness and death in birds. Further appropriate measures will be taken on the basis of the results that will follow tomorrow.

As a precaution, a number of measures are being taken pending the investigation. In a zone of 1 kilometer around the infected farm, there are 4 other poultry farms. One of these companies is empty. The other 3 companies are blocked and sampled for bird flu. There are 4 poultry farms in the area of ​​3 kilometers around the infected farm, which are also sampled for bird flu. There are 32 other poultry farms in the 10 kilometer zone around this company. The transport ban applies immediately for this zone.

In the case of a low pathogenic variant, it is not mandatory to control the disease on the basis of European rules. If this concerns a low pathogenic contamination, and because it is not a poultry dense area, appropriate measures are taken but the animals are not culled. If the investigation shows that it is the highly pathogenic variant, the infected farm, and a farm of the same owner that is located directly next to the infected farm, will be cleared.

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, additional rules apply to hunting, for example in this area it is forbidden to hunt ducks or to hunt in areas where this could disturb waterfowl. See also the scheme for more information.

National measures

National measures still apply, such as a ban on visiting bird roosts of risk birds, unless absolutely necessary. Birds at risk include kept gallinaceous birds (such as chickens), waterfowl and ratites.

The national storage and screening obligation is still in full force. The house keeping obligation applies to commercially kept birds, these are brought indoors (except pheasants and ratites). For non-commercially kept high-risk birds (fowls/chickens, waterfowl and ratites), for example in zoos, petting zoos and owners of birds and chickens, and for commercially kept pheasants, ratites and ornamental waterfowl, there is a protection obligation. It must be prevented as much as possible that the birds come into contact with sick wild birds or their droppings. This can be done, for example, by keeping the animals in an aviary. on the website of the NVWA you can find more information about how this can best be done. A ban has also been imposed on the display of poultry, waterfowl and ratites.

Keepers of laying hens, breeding stock, broilers and ducks are still subject to a stricter reporting obligation. In this context, poultry farmers must report the loss of their poultry to the NVWA earlier, so that infections with bird flu can come to light earlier and the chance of spreading is reduced.

Tracking Investigation

As usual, in the context of the contamination at the company in Bentelo, a tracing investigation is being conducted into high-risk contacts. In these investigations, the NVWA examines whether ‘risky contact’ has taken place between the infected company and other locations. A risky contact is, for example, when a visitor has been to an infected company, and then visited another company. If necessary, additional measures will be taken in response to the results of the investigation. Any additional measures will be reported in an update in this press release and via the online channels of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.