January 8, 2020

Veterinary body confirms no bird flu infected Polish poultry has entered Lithuania

Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service made the statement amid bird flu outbreaks in neighbouring Poland but has called on local poultry farms to take additional precautionary measures, reported The Baltic Times.

Thousands of birds have been culled following reports of seven bird flu outbreaks in Poland between end December last year and January 6, 2020.

Marius Masiulis, Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service head of emergency response said a quarantine has been imposed on affected Polish farms, with poultry culled safely and its products halted from distribution to local and export markets.

He said the Lithuanian veterinary body has improved domestic measures to prevent the entry of the disease into the country, and trusts the measures imposed by the Polish veterinary authority.

He added that poultry farms in Lithuania are still at risk of bird flu transmitted by wild birds, and urged poultry farms to take precautionary measures.

The European Commission is expected to execute additional measures to halt the spread of bird flu in the region.

-      The Baltic Times