May 2, 2006

Dutch lifts restrictions on domestic poultry

The Netherlands' Agriculture Ministry lifted an order keeping all domestic poultry indoors Monday (May 1), as bird flu fears abated.

The Netherlands is one of the few countries in Europe not hit by bird flu and that is purely due to a mix of good luck and good planning, agriculture ministry spokeswoman Nynke van der Zee said.

More than 13,000 wild birds have been tested in the Netherlands since February, and none have showed signs of H5N1, Van der Zee said.

The Netherlands was the first country in the EU to order poultry indoors in an effort to avoid a repeat of the 2003 bird bird flu, which caused the culling of 30 million Dutch poultry.

Experts had assumed then that since the Netherlands was lying along migratory routes, the disease was bound to turn up in the country.

Virologist Ab Osterhaus, who advised the Dutch government on precautionary measures, told Dutch NOS television the relief may not last long.

The Netherlands could be facing the same problem in July or August, he said, adding that it is a problem that would have to be dealt with in the long-term.

Switzerland also lifted its indoor poultry order. Germany would keep poultry indoors until at least May 12.