Bird flu has been diagnosed at a poultry farm in Nieuw-Weerdinge. The more than 200,000 broilers are being culled to prevent the virus from spreading. It is probably the seriously contagious version that can make the animals very sick, reports the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
According to the national government, there are no other poultry farms in the 1-kilometer zone around the company. Within three kilometres, six of the same type of companies are located.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority will closely monitor the animals of those six companies in the area over the next two weeks to detect bird flu. There are a total of 24 other poultry farms within ten kilometers of the Drenthe company. There is now an obligation to keep and screen off everywhere.
In recent weeks, the bird flu was diagnosed at seven other companies, including in Gelderland, Groningen, Overijssel and Friesland. In total, more than 620,000 animals were euthanized in September to prevent the further spread of bird flu.