Bird flu reported in Netherlands - 41,500 birds culled

The outbreak happened in the Zeeland region of the Netherlands
The outbreak happened in the Zeeland region of the Netherlands

Avian influenza has been reported in a commercial layer flock in the Netherlands.

The outbreak is in a flock of 41,500 birds in the Zeeland region of the Netherlands.

It is understood that the virus involved is a low pathogenic H5N2 strain. H5N2 is the virus involved in large outbreaks in the United States in 2015.

Although the Dutch outbreak is low path, news of the report will increase tension amongst poultry farmers as we head towards the high risk migratory bird season in Europe.

Last winter highly pathogenic H5N8 swept across 18 European countries, including the United Kingdom.

In the UK there were a total of 13 confirmed cases between December and June, although none of them involved commercial layer flocks.

Cases of H5N8 were also recorded in Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, the Republic of Korea, Nigeria and Tunisia.

In this new case in the Netherlands, the alarm was apparently raised on October 10. All birds on the unit have been culled and restrictions have been placed around the affected farm.