A highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, H5, has been detected at a turkey farm in Alveringem, West Flanders, according to the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Afsca).
The remaining birds at the farm are being euthanised, in compliance with European and Belgian law, said the federal agency.
A three-kilometre protection zone and a ten-kilometre surveillance zone have been established around the affected farm. Within the surveillance zone, all keepers of poultry are required to safeguard their animals, a requirement that applies to both birds and poultry within the protection zone.
“Anyone noticing signs of sickness in their poultry or birds is urged to consult a vet,” Afsca emphasises.
Citing an unfavourable shift in the epidemiological situation, federal Agriculture Minister David Clarinval reinstated, as of 9 December, the mandatory confinement of poultry, with the exception of ratites [flightless birds such as ostriches and emus], for all professional and hobby keepers.
Avian Influenza (AI) or bird flu is a highly contagious viral disease, to which all bird species are presumably susceptible. There is no scientific indication that the H5 strain is also dangerous to humans.
