News item | 24-01-2022 | 23:52
Bird flu (H5) has been diagnosed in ducks on a breeding farm in Ede (Province of Gelderland). It is probably a highly pathogenic variant of bird flu. To prevent the virus from spreading, the approximately 3,000 animals on the farm in question are culled. The clearance is carried out by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
In the area of 1 kilometer around the infected farm in Ede, there are 6 other poultry farms, one of which is a hatchery. These companies have had no direct contact with the infected company. In addition, 2 other companies are located just outside the 1 kilometer area. These farms are blocked, sampled for bird flu and intensively monitored daily for, among other things, the health of the animals. There are 14 other poultry farms in the 3 kilometer zone around the infected company, which are being sampled for bird flu. There are 215 other poultry farms in the 10 kilometer zone around this company. A transport ban applies immediately in this zone.
Because the infected farm is located in a poultry dense area – and in order to minimize the risk of further spreading – there is also a transport ban for risk birds in the region (10) that corresponds to this (see the RVO animal disease viewer for that region). Under strict conditions, there is an exception to this for transport to slaughter.
Current situation
In the past few days, four different companies have been found to be infected with bird flu in a short period of time. The animal diseases expert group has been asked to provide an explanation of the current situation in the short term. In addition, the ministry is looking at what possible measures can be taken in the short term to further reduce the risk of introduction.
But also in the long term it is necessary to consider how bird flu should be dealt with. It seems that bird flu has now become a structural problem, and that bird flu occurs year round in the Netherlands. This makes the disease a permanent threat to poultry farming, to keepers of small numbers of birds and to wild birds and mammals. This also requires solutions for the longer term. The ministry will discuss this with the sector and other parties, also in the context of the integrated area-oriented approach with regard to nitrogen, water and climate and the Bekedam report.
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. See also the explanation of the scheme for more information.
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, (ornamental) waterfowl and ratites), for example in zoos, petting zoos and owners of birds and chickens, and for commercially kept pheasants, ornamental waterfowl and ratites, a shielding obligation applies. On the website More information can be found from the NVWA about how this can best be done. A ban has also been imposed on the display of poultry, waterfowl and ratites.
Tracking Investigation
As usual, in the context of the contamination at the company in Ede, a tracing investigation is being carried out into high-risk contacts. In these investigations, the NVWA examines whether ‘risky contact’ has taken place between the infected company and other locations. 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.