More than 40,000 chickens have been killed after H5N1 low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) was discovered at a farm in the Netherlands.
An alert has been issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OiE), regarding the reoccurrence of the listed disease in the first case since December 2013.
A report was submitted to the OiE on 28 February, from Dr Christianne Bruschke, chief veterinary officer, Ministry of Economic Affairs at The Hague, Netherlands, with all 40,327 birds regarded as susceptible to the virus now destroyed.
On 27 February a 1km protection zone was established around the farm in Swifterbant, Flevoland, which encompasses one other premises. According to the OiE, a number of measures have been put in place, including movement control within the country, zoning, screening and stamping out. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was carried out on 27 February at the Central Veterinary Institute, Lelystad (National Laboratory), which achieved a positive result.
