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Bird flu shock in Brandenburg: 155,000 animals have to die!
A new outbreak of bird flu in Brandenburg affects 15,500 geese. Protective measures are active in the Stendal district.
Bird flu shock in Brandenburg: 155,000 animals have to die!
The situation surrounding bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is getting worse in Germany. Since the recent outbreak in the Prignitz district in Brandenburg, alarm bells have been heard loudly. Here the pathogen was detected in a poultry farm where around 15,500 geese are affected. This is the seventh outbreak in Brandenburg this autumn season. In order to stop the spread, a protection and surveillance zone was set up that extends to the Stendal district in Saxony-Anhalt. Stables are now mandatory for the entire area of the district in order to protect the animals that remain healthy. In total, around 155,000 animals have to be killed in various farms due to the outbreak in Brandenburg stern.de reported.
But Brandenburg is not the only one affected. In the Märkisch-Oderland district, around 130,000 animals also have to be killed to prevent the spread of the disease. These worrying developments suggest that bird flu, caused by the HPAIV (H5N1) virus, is striking again. Here too, the influence of wild birds – which are considered to be carriers of the disease – is becoming increasingly clear. The authorities agree: the risk of further spread is high. The state Friedrich Loeffler Institute announced that new reports are arriving daily and the situation remains dynamic. Currently, around 400,000 animals, including chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys, have been killed across Germany due to the disease tagesspiegel.de reported.
Tightening of measures
But the omens are not only bleak in Brandenburg: the whole of Germany is facing severe challenges this season. In Baden-Württemberg, for example, 15,000 animals fell victim to the massacre in another poultry farm. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute has already classified the risk of further outbreaks as “high”. This is causing great unrest among poultry farmers, because the Brandenburg region in particular is not only characterized by numerous outbreaks, but is also affected by migrations of wild birds, which promote the spread of the animal disease.
The crane population is particularly suffering from the consequences of bird flu. Loud zdfheute.de Over 1,000 dead cranes were recovered in northern Brandenburg. These animals are considered an indicator of the health of the bird population. All over Germany, operational closures are repeatedly imposed to combat the disease, and affected stables must remain closed for over 30 days. For many companies, this is not only a health challenge, but also an economic one. The loss of one affected company in Neuhardenberg is already around half a million euros.
In the current situation, all poultry farmers are urgently advised to bring their animals into protected stables and avoid contact with wild birds. Although the risk to the population of becoming seriously ill from this virus remains low, health authorities are alarmed and are calling for caution.
The coming weeks will be crucial as to whether the situation will ease or worsen further. The experts' recommendations are clear: protective measures at all levels are necessary to stop the uninvited guest.