February 12, 2020

Dutch farm ministry orders all commercial poultry to be kept indoors

The order comes after an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus was confirmed in Germany, reported Reuters.

According to the ministry, the measure aims to prevent wild birds potentially infected by the H5N8 bird flu travelling from neighbouring Germany spreading the virus to commercial poultry in the Netherlands.

The latest German H5N8 bird flu virusoutbreak was discovered close to the Netherlands border compared to previously reported cases, which increases the likelihood of the virus spreading through wild birds.

The ministry will review the imposed order after four weeks.

-      Reuters