News release | 29-10-2020 | 7:00
In Altforst (municipality of West Maas en Waal) bird flu (H5) has been diagnosed at a company with broiler parent animals. It is a highly pathogenic variant of bird flu. There are no other companies within a radius of 1 kilometer around the company. The company is being culled to prevent the virus from spreading. In total, this concerns approximately 35,700 animals. The culling is carried out by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
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There are nine other poultry farms in the area of 3 kilometers around the infected farm in Altforst. These companies are sampled and examined for avian flu. There are also 25 other poultry farms in the 10-kilometer zone around this company. The transport ban applies to this zone.
Transport ban
Minister Schouten of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has immediately declared a transport ban for poultry farms in a zone of 10 kilometers around the company in Altforst. A transport ban covers poultry, eggs, poultry manure and used bedding, as well as other animals and animal products from farms with commercially kept poultry.
Measures
All current national measures, such as the obligation to house commercially kept poultry, will remain in full force. In addition, zoos, petting zoos and hobby bird owners are required to shield their poultry and waterfowl so that these animals do not come into contact with wild waterfowl and their droppings. This can be done, for example, by keeping the animals in an aviary or by placing them in a run. The zoos and children’s farms can be visited. The existing hygiene protocol for visitors to visit commercial poultry farms is being expanded. This means, among other things, that visitors are only allowed to enter the stable or yard after taking strict hygiene measures.
Furthermore, a ban has been imposed on the display of ornamental poultry and water birds.
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