February 17, 2006

More countries in central Europe ban outdoor poultry

Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland have ordered poultry to be kept indoors in an effort to prevent the spread of the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus.

In Austria, the order--in effect since midnight Wednesday Feb 15--applies to domestic fowls in areas close to large rivers and lakes.

Earlier this week, poultry in a surveillance zone near the southern Austrian city of Graz were ordered to be kept indoors after swans were found dead in a lake in the area.

An Austrian laboratory Wednesday said two swans tested positive for H5N1. A third swan has also tested positive for H5N1.

The preliminary tests, not officially confirmed by the Health Ministry, were conducted at a veterinary laboratory in the lower Austrian town of Moedling, and samples have been sent for confirmation to the EU reference laboratory in Weybridge, England.

Austria's neighbour, Liechtenstein, announced Thursday Feb 16 that it is ordering all poultry to be kept indoors to prevent possible infection with bird flu from migratory birds.

The restriction will take effect Monday Feb 20, the same day a similar requirement is imposed in neighbouring Switzerland, where experts are investigating if H5N1 has caused the death of three swans in the central regions of the country.