News item | 17-06-2022 | 18:35
In Biddinghuizen (province of Flevoland) bird flu was diagnosed at an organic laying hen farm. It is probably a highly pathogenic variant. To prevent the spread of the virus, the approximately 56,000 laying hens on the farm are culled by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
There are no other poultry farms in the area of 1 kilometer around the infected farm. There is one poultry farm, a hatchery, in the 3 kilometer zone around the infected farm. There are 29 other poultry farms in the 10 kilometer zone, for which the transport ban applies immediately.
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 prohibited 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, which are brought indoors (except for pheasants, ornamental waterfowl 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 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
As usual, in the context of the contamination at the Biddinghuizen location, a tracing investigation is being conducted into high-risk contacts. 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.