Israel Bird Flu Outbreak: H5N1 Hits Turkey Farms in Nahalal | February 2024

Israel’s Agriculture and Food Security Ministry confirmed a second outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza this season on Monday, affecting a flock of 8,000 turkeys in Moshav Nahalal, located in the Jezreel Valley of northern Israel.

The latest outbreak follows an earlier case detected in early January at a duck breeding site in Sadeh Yaakov, approximately five kilometers from Nahalal, according to the ministry. Authorities have established a 10-kilometer quarantine zone around the affected turkey farm, restricting the movement of poultry and enforcing heightened biosafety protocols.

The ministry is urging owners of backyard poultry, free-range flocks, and ornamental birds to keep their birds indoors and limit potential contact with wild birds. Consumers are advised to purchase poultry and eggs only from regulated sources and to ensure thorough cooking before consumption, a measure intended to mitigate potential health risks.

Officials have noted that fattening turkeys are particularly susceptible to the virus, and an outbreak within a commercial coop can lead to rapid mortality rates, potentially wiping out an entire farm within hours.

In 2025, Israel experienced 16 outbreaks of bird flu, with Moshav Nahalal accounting for four of those instances, according to the Agriculture Ministry. The current outbreak is being closely monitored as the country enters peak migration season for wild birds, a primary vector for the spread of the H5N1 virus.

The World Health Organization identifies H5N1 as a subtype of influenza that can infect both birds and mammals, with rare instances of transmission to humans. Israeli authorities attribute the spread of the virus primarily to migratory bird populations, emphasizing the importance of preventing contact between wild birds and commercial poultry.

As of Monday, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had also detected a separate hotspot of H5N1 avian influenza in Moshav Nahalal, identifying approximately 42,000 infected chickens. Veterinary Services are continuing to monitor poultry in the area and actively assess the extent of the outbreak.