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A bird in isolation has contracted the flu at the Prague Zoo, a total of 40 birds have died
Author: iDNES.cz , CTK
February 26, 2026 1:53 PM
A bird flu has been confirmed in a bird in the Prague Zoo's isolation area for ostriches and quacks. The zoo moved the birds from open outdoor exhibits to secure areas in mid-February due to emergency measures introduced after the first confirmation of the infection. According to veterinarians, the remaining birds in isolation were culled as a precaution, as there were only a few cases.
When asked about this on Thursday, the State Veterinary Administration (SVS) stated this. However, according to it, bird deaths in the outbreak of bird flu at the Prague Zoo have been minimal in recent days.
The isolation unit at the zoo is now empty and closed. "The SVS is continuing to monitor any deaths or clinical signs of illness in other birds kept at the zoo. The situation is such that deaths in the outbreak have been minimal in recent days. Since the weekend, we have only reported the death of one bird from the outbreak," said SVS deputy spokesperson Petr Majer.
Bird flu confirmed in other birds at Prague Zoo, infection not yet spreading
The emergency veterinary measures consist mainly of restricting entry to the affected part of the zoo, investigating dead birds for avian influenza, and other preventive measures to increase biosecurity. The zoo has restricted visitor entry to walk-through aviaries, and the Rákos Pavilion and the Szechuan Pavilion will also be closed for the necessary period of time.
At the end of last year, Prague Zoo kept 265 species of birds, a total of 1,700 individuals. According to earlier statements by veterinarians, the most common bird species among the dead birds are the wagtail, spoonbill, ibis and pelican. In total, less than 40 of them died at the zoo, Majer said.
Deaths are expected
Zoo spokesperson Nikola Dostálková said last week that the bird flu outbreak will not go away overnight and bird deaths are therefore to be expected. "Our breeders are monitoring the health of the birds, entering the exhibits through disinfectant mats and adhering to other strict hygiene rules," she said on Wednesday.
Bird flu is a viral disease of animals, especially birds, but it has also occurred in pigs, dogs and cats. Of the wild birds, it most often affects swans and wild ducks, which have been carriers of the disease for several centuries and the virus is not as dangerous for them as for poultry.
In Europe, according to an earlier statement by the Prague Public Health Station, cases of the disease in humans have only been recorded exceptionally, namely in bird breeders or caretakers who were in very close and long-term contact with infected birds.
https://www.idnes.cz/praha/zpravy/p...zy-zoo-praha.A260226_131618_praha-zpravy_pari
A bird in isolation has contracted the flu at the Prague Zoo, a total of 40 birds have died
Author: iDNES.cz , CTK
February 26, 2026 1:53 PM
A bird flu has been confirmed in a bird in the Prague Zoo's isolation area for ostriches and quacks. The zoo moved the birds from open outdoor exhibits to secure areas in mid-February due to emergency measures introduced after the first confirmation of the infection. According to veterinarians, the remaining birds in isolation were culled as a precaution, as there were only a few cases.
When asked about this on Thursday, the State Veterinary Administration (SVS) stated this. However, according to it, bird deaths in the outbreak of bird flu at the Prague Zoo have been minimal in recent days.
The isolation unit at the zoo is now empty and closed. "The SVS is continuing to monitor any deaths or clinical signs of illness in other birds kept at the zoo. The situation is such that deaths in the outbreak have been minimal in recent days. Since the weekend, we have only reported the death of one bird from the outbreak," said SVS deputy spokesperson Petr Majer.
Bird flu confirmed in other birds at Prague Zoo, infection not yet spreading
The emergency veterinary measures consist mainly of restricting entry to the affected part of the zoo, investigating dead birds for avian influenza, and other preventive measures to increase biosecurity. The zoo has restricted visitor entry to walk-through aviaries, and the Rákos Pavilion and the Szechuan Pavilion will also be closed for the necessary period of time.
At the end of last year, Prague Zoo kept 265 species of birds, a total of 1,700 individuals. According to earlier statements by veterinarians, the most common bird species among the dead birds are the wagtail, spoonbill, ibis and pelican. In total, less than 40 of them died at the zoo, Majer said.
Deaths are expected
Zoo spokesperson Nikola Dostálková said last week that the bird flu outbreak will not go away overnight and bird deaths are therefore to be expected. "Our breeders are monitoring the health of the birds, entering the exhibits through disinfectant mats and adhering to other strict hygiene rules," she said on Wednesday.
Bird flu is a viral disease of animals, especially birds, but it has also occurred in pigs, dogs and cats. Of the wild birds, it most often affects swans and wild ducks, which have been carriers of the disease for several centuries and the virus is not as dangerous for them as for poultry.
In Europe, according to an earlier statement by the Prague Public Health Station, cases of the disease in humans have only been recorded exceptionally, namely in bird breeders or caretakers who were in very close and long-term contact with infected birds.
https://www.idnes.cz/praha/zpravy/p...zy-zoo-praha.A260226_131618_praha-zpravy_pari
