Bird flu confirmed at care farm in North Holland; 150 chickens to be culled

Bird flu has been confirmed at a care farm in Middelie, North Holland, where about 150 chickens are to be culled. The Dutch authorities have imposed a transport ban across a 10-kilometre zone, although no other poultry farms are within that area.

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority will cull the birds to help prevent the virus spreading. The ban covers the movement of birds, hatching eggs, table eggs, poultry manure and used litter from locations with birds inside the zone. Other animals and their products may be moved under strict hygiene conditions.

The authority is tracing potentially risky contacts to find out whether poultry or products were transported to or from the site before the infection was reported. Further steps, such as extra testing or restrictions on a contact farm, may follow if needed.

The Dutch government says this is the second bird-flu infection in the country since July. It has asked an expert group to reassess the disease risk and is considering whether further measures are necessary. In an earlier outbreak in Lutjegast, Groningen, authorities ordered about 45,000 birds to be culled and imposed a transport ban around the affected farm.