Bird flu reaches Wartburg district: Danger to wild birds is growing!

Bird flu reaches Wartburg district: Danger to wild birds is growing!

The bird flu continues to spread in Germany and has now reached the Wartburg district in Thuringia. According to a report from Thuringian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Work and Family A case of the highly contagious avian influenza (H5N1) was detected in a wild bird. This is a further indication of the worrying situation that has been prevailing in various districts such as Eichsfeld, Nordhausen, Kyffhäuser, Sömmerda and Unstrut-Hainich for several weeks.

In Thuringia, 37 outbreaks have been documented in poultry farms since the beginning of October 2025. There are also four cases in the Greiz district. In the Nordhausen district there is a suspicion of an outbreak in a horse stable where 50 geese and 50 ducks are kept. Health Minister Katharina Schenk confirmed that the virus could have been transmitted through contact with a crane. These developments make it clear that there is a need for action here.

Risk assessment and protective measures

Bird flu, particularly the H5N1 variant, is highly contagious to domestic poultry and usually leads to the death of the animals. There's been a lot of noise in the last 14 days Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer a rapid increase in infections was registered. However, the risk of transmission to humans remains low. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) makes it clear that there are no known human-to-human infections in Germany, even though sporadic infections have occurred in America and Asia in the past.

To combat the spread of bird flu, the Thuringian Ministry of Social Affairs has adopted comprehensive protective measures. These include, among other things, compulsory stables in risk areas and strict biosecurity measures for poultry farming. The authorities recommend avoiding contact with sick or dead wild birds and reporting such finds immediately. The measures also include restrictions on poultry exhibitions and the purchase of domestic poultry. Purchases are only permitted for clinically healthy animals and with negative test results for waterfowl.

Overview of the situation

Avian influenza caused a stir not only in Thuringia, but nationwide. What is particularly alarming is the high number of deaths among wild birds, including cranes, which are currently on their autumn migration. In various federal states such as Brandenburg, Bremen and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, thousands of animals have already been killed due to outbreaks, including 15,000 in a farm in the Alb-Donau district.

It is all the more important that the population remains informed about the risks and protective measures. With the onset of the cold season and the migration of wild birds, the situation may worsen further. Careful adherence to the recommended measures is crucial.