News item | 28-04-2022 | 20:28
In Lunteren (Province of Gelderland) bird flu H5 was diagnosed on a poultry farm with laying hens, which is probably a highly pathogenic variant. To prevent the virus from spreading, the approximately 50,000 animals on the infected farm are culled by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
Five poultry farms are located in the 1 kilometer zone around the infected farm, three of which are vacant. The other two companies are being removed as a precaution to prevent the virus from spreading to surrounding companies. The companies are located in a poultry-dense area. If preventive culling is not carried out, the contamination in this area can quickly spread to surrounding companies.
There are 37 other poultry farms within the 3 kilometer zone that are screened for bird flu by the NVWA. In addition, these companies will be intensively monitored over the next 14 days for signals that may indicate bird flu. A number of the companies in the 3 kilometer zone have already been included in the screening and monitoring after other infections in the area.
There are 196 other poultry farms in the 10 kilometer zone; the transport ban applies immediately for this zone. A large part of these companies are located in zones for which a transport ban was previously announced, after the infections in Voorthuizen, Lunteren and Barneveld.
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.
Because the infected company is located in a poultry dense area – and in order to minimize the risk of further spreading – there is also a transport ban for high-risk birds in the region 7 Gelderse Vallei Noord (see the RVO). animal disease viewer for that region). In addition, the transport ban for high-risk birds for region 10 Gelderse Vallei Zuid, which had already been introduced after the contamination in Barneveld on 15 April 2022. An exception to the transport ban for risk birds in region 7 and region 10 applies, under strict conditions, for transport to the slaughter and transport of day-old chicks.
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.
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 confinement and screening obligation is also still in full force. The confinement 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. 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.
Tracking Investigation
In the context of the contamination at the location in Barneveld, a tracing investigation is carried out into high-risk contacts, as is usual. 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.