Avian influenza causes alarm in Prignitz – protection zones set up!

Avian influenza causes alarm in Prignitz – protection zones set up!

There is currently worrying news for poultry farmers in the Prignitz district. In the community of Plattenburg, avian influenza, also known as bird flu, was officially diagnosed in a goose population of around 15,500 animals. This is reported by the Northern Courier. The alarm bells are ringing because the authorities had to react immediately due to increased animal losses. The farm owner informed the veterinary office, which immediately ordered inspections.

As an important measure to combat avian influenza, a general animal disease order was issued, which is now published in the district's official gazette and on the website of landkreis-prignitz.de. As part of these measures, both a protection zone with a radius of at least three kilometers and a monitoring zone of at least ten kilometers were established around the affected geese population. Establishing these zones quickly is critical to preventing the virus from spreading.

pathogens and further outbreaks

Laboratory tests by the Berlin-Brandenburg state laboratory confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic “avian influenza virus subtype H5N1”, which was also verified by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI). What is worrying is that this is the seventh outbreak of avian influenza in Brandenburg this autumn season. The authorities are alarmed and are doing everything they can to bring the situation under control.

In order to minimize the risk, a general installation of poultry in the district was ordered on October 28th. Poultry farmers are urged to take all necessary precautions and report any signs of illness in animals as soon as possible.

Important information for the population

The public is urged not to touch dead birds themselves, but rather to notify the Prignitz district veterinary office only. When reporting, citizens should ideally provide a detailed description of the location, including cell phone location data. The veterinary office then takes care of collecting the dead animals.

The veterinary office can be reached during the day on the telephone numbers 03876 / 713-402 and 03876 / 713-413. Outside these times, the official veterinary on-call service is available on 0152 / 01597159. It is everyone's responsibility to work together against avian influenza and to contribute to the safety of animals and the population.

These events underscore the urgency with which animal diseases must be addressed. Continue to stay informed and follow the guidance of authorities to protect your animals and the community.