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Alert in Austria, where bird flu outbreak feared
By Jean-Philippe Liabot
Published on 08/11/2024 - 9:03 UTC+1
The Austrian Health Ministry has declared the entire country a risk area following the outbreak of the virus in the Lower Austrian district of Amstetten a week ago.
Around 18,000 animals have already been slaughtered since the start of the crisis.
New cases have recently been detected on four farms with around 200,000 animals in Upper and Lower Austria.
A protection zone has also been set up around the affected farms within a radius of three kilometres. It may be extended to 10km if necessary. Veterinarians will check dozens of farms in order to detect possible new cases.
In the first phase, 25 districts in Upper and Lower Austria, Salzburg and Carinthia will be classified as high-risk areas. In these areas, farms with more than 50 animals are subject to a confinement obligation.
" We have already taken precautions in Lower Austria. We have already designated four districts as risk districts where a general obligation to keep animals indoors applies. I know that the Federal Ministry is already considering measures in this regard for an even larger area in the federal provinces and that they are also being implemented ," said a city councilor from the city of Krems in central Austria.
The number of cases in wild birds has also increased recently.
" In order to contain the spread, the whole of Austria is now declared a high-risk area ," the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, which is also responsible for animal protection, said in a statement. A decree has been issued to this effect.
The first infections appeared after the floods in mid-September.
Authorities do not yet know how the first infections began in Austria, but cases were first discovered in wild birds and domestic poultry in September.
Around the same time, catastrophic floods hit several regions in Lower Austria and Central Europe.
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https://fr.euronews.com/my-europe/2...e-ou-lon-craint-une-flambee-de-grippe-aviaire
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November 8, 2024
Bird flu in Austria
All of Austria classified as an increased risk area
In Europe, outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) are increasingly observed every year in spring and autumn. The virus can be easily transmitted from infected wild birds or their droppings to domestic poultry. It is highly contagious. The disease is usually fatal in poultry. In recent weeks, bird flu has been detected in wild birds in several regions of Austria. Four poultry farms in Upper and Lower Austria with around 200,000 animals have already been affected. A restricted zone has been set up around these farms: poultry farms in these regions are inspected by official veterinarians. Poultry and their products may only be taken out of the restricted zone under certain conditions. In order to contain the spread, the whole of Austria is now declared an area with increased risk.
So far, no cases of bird flu have been detected in humans in Europe. In very close contact with infected birds ( e.g. workers in poultry farms), transmission from birds to humans can occur in rare cases. The infection leads to flu-like symptoms. Transmission to humans through food can, however, be ruled out.
Stricter security measures for all of Austria
Due to the current situation, the Ministry of Health has classified the whole of Austria as an area with an increased risk. This means that stricter safety measures now apply to poultry farmers:
- Contact between poultry and wild birds must be prevented as far as possible by means of devices (nets and roofs).
- Feeding and watering of the animals may only take place in the stable or in a shelter.
- Water from reservoirs to which wild birds have access must not be used .
- Ducks and geese must be kept separate from other poultry.
- All poultry keepers are also asked to pay particular attention to biosecurity . This includes wearing their own stable clothing, hand hygiene and measures to control rodents in the pens.
- There is a reporting obligation for water birds such as swans and ducks as well as birds of prey that are found dead . The responsible district administrative authority or the official veterinarians must be informed. They will then arrange for the dead animals to be recovered and examined. Passers-by should not touch the animals and should leave them where they were found.
Compulsory housing in 25 districts
A greatly increased risk applies in a total of 25 districts in six federal states. In these regions, a general housing requirement also applies to poultry farmers with more than 50 animals until further notice. Farms with fewer than 50 animals are exempt from this housing requirement, provided that ducks and geese are separated and their animals are protected from contact with wild birds. Protection and monitoring zones are also being set up around affected poultry farms . There, a general housing requirement applies regardless of the size of the farm. All farms are examined by official veterinarians.
Compliance with safety measures is particularly important!
The safety measures mentioned are intended to contain the further spread of bird flu as best as possible. Further developments will be closely monitored by the Ministry of Health, in close consultation with the federal states. If necessary, the area with a greatly increased risk will be expanded.
A current overview of these areas can be found at www.kvg.gv.at
Districts with a significantly increased risk:
Burgenland:
- Güssing
- Jennersdorf
- Mattersburg,
- Oberpullendorf
- Oberwart
Lower Austria:
- Waidhofen an der Ybbs (city)
- Amstetten
- Melk
- Scheibbs
Upper Austria:
- Braunau am Inn
- Grieskirchen
- Linz-Land
- Perg
- Ried im Innkreis
- Schärding
- Wels-Land
Salzburg:
Salzburg city and the following municipalities in the Salzburg area:
- Anif
- Anthering
- Bergheim
- Berndorf near Salzburg
- Bürmoos
- Dorfbeuern
- Elixhausen
- Elsbethen
- Fuschl am See
- Göming
- Henndorf am Wallersee
- Hof near Salzburg
- Köstendorf
- Lamprechtshausen
- Mattsee
- Neumarkt am Wallersee
- Nußdorf am Haunsberg
- Oberndorf near Salzburg
- Obertrum am See
- Sankt Georgen near Salzburg
- Sankt Gilgen
- Schleedorf
- Seeham
- Straßwalchen
- Strobl
- Thalgau
- Wals-Siezenheim
- Seekirchen am Wallersee
Styria:
- Deutschlandsberg
- Leibnitz
- Hartberg-Fürstenfeld
- Southeast Styria
Carinthia:
- Klagenfurt-Land
- Völkermarkt
- Wolfsberg
More information
Further information on bird flu and information videos for poultry farmers can be found at www.ages.at and under Health: Bird flu
https://www.sozialministerium.at/Services/Neuigkeiten-und-Termine/vogelgrippe.html
