December 1, 2014

New bird flu outbreak hits Dutch poultry farm

A new bird flu outbreak has been discovered in the Netherlands, the fourth recorded since November 16, when the first of fresh outbreaks of H5N8 avian influenza was reported on a farm in Hekendorp, Utrecht province, Dutch authorities said.

In a statement on Sunday, the Dutch Economic Affairs Ministry said birds at a farm in Zoeterwoude town, 20 kilometres northeast of The Hague, were found to be infected with an H5 strain of bird flu, adding further tests were to be conducted to determine the exact strain.

The ministry said all 28,000 birds in the newly infected poultry farm were being slaughtered, according to an Associated Press report. At least 25,000 chickens and ducks were earlier slaughtered on infected farms.

The strain in the earlier outbreaks was identified as H5N8, which also infected bird farms in Germany and Britain. Authorities said that although the H5N8 strain is highly infectious to birds, it poses little risk to public health.

A major outbreak of bird flu in the Netherlands in 2003 caused EUR300 million (US$374 million) in damages.