February 15, 2006

Germany orders earlier indoor confinement of domestic birds 

On Tuesday, Feb 14, Germany's Agriculture Minister ordered all domestic birds kept indoors starting next week, moving up the previously planned measure to prevent migrating fowls from possibly spreading the bird flu virus.

Horst Seehofer ordered farmers to enclose all poultry and other domestic birds in barns or cages with roofs starting Feb 20, after authorities determined there was a heightened risk following the discovery of the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus in dead swans found in Italy and Greece.

Originally Germany had planned to order all birds indoors for at least two months starting March 1.