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Avian influenza in the Greiz district: urgent warning for owners!
An outbreak of avian influenza (H5N1) was confirmed in the Greiz district on October 2, 2025. Protective measures and risk assessments are appropriate.
Avian influenza in the Greiz district: urgent warning for owners!
On October 2, 2025, an outbreak of the dreaded poultry plague in the Greiz district was confirmed. This outbreak is caused by the highly pathogenic influenza-a virus of the Subtype H5N1. So far, the exact cause of the outbreak of virus remains unclear what makes the situation for the poultry owners and the concerned public all the more serious. The Thuringian Ministry of Social Affairs has already issued preventive measures and information to protect the population and prevent the virus from being spread, such as abg-net.de.
As part of the protective measures, two exclusion zones were set up. TheProtection zoneextends over a radius of 3 km around the affected operation, while theSurveillance zonecovers a radius of 10 km and also affects the neighboring Saale-Orla district. Strict regulations apply within these zones: clinical examinations are required and the movement of poultry and poultry products is prohibited, although exceptions are possible under certain conditions.
Call to vigilance
The health authorities appeal to all poultry owners and citizens to observe the organic security measures. Diseases in poultry must be reported immediately, since the poultry plague can cause severe signs of illness and high mortality rates. As an additional precautionary measure, people who come into contact with infected poultry should pay attention to flu -like symptoms and look for medical help if they appear. General hygiene recommendations, such as the thorough washing of the hands after contact with birds, should also be strictly followed, as well as that BFR.
The virus can, although rarely, be transmitted from poultry to people in isolated cases. Data to date show that transmission of the pathogen through food, such as poultry meat or eggs, has not been proven. To be on the safe side, we recommend using well-cooked poultry meat and avoiding raw egg products. When preparing the food, it should be heated to at least 70 °C for two minutes so that health problems can be ruled out.
Animal protection and reporting requirements
In general, animals that are suffering from poultry plague must be treated with animal welfare. The possibility of further epidemic spread could not be excluded. Affected companies must immediately inform the responsible bodies, in particular the veterinary and food surveillance office. A message died wild water birds or birds of prey is also mandatory.
The situation surrounding avian influenza is tense, especially given recent developments. In January 2024, several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic poultry were detected in Germany, as reported by FLI. This continuous monitoring is essential to stop the spread of the disease in both domestic and wild birds.