The European Commission is calling for vigilance by Member States’ authorities and the poultry sector in the EU, and for the stepping up of biosecurity on poultry farms, following recent avian influenza outbreaks.
Following confirmation on 4 November of the highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N8 on a turkey fattening farm in Tótkomlós, Békés County, the Hungarian authorities immediately applied control measures as laid down in EU legislation.
This outbreak is caused by the same strain of Asian origin detected in a wild bird in the same area the week before. This and other outbreaks throughout the EU mark the seasonal circulation of avian influenza viruses.
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The protective measures to respond to the outbreak for the affected areas were reviewed and supported at the recent meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF).
Over 27,000 birds have died or have been destroyed in EU Member States recently due to several cases of avian influenza, both high pathogenic and low pathogenic, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).