20-03-25 Announcement from FAVV – Partial lifting of the surveillance zone in Sint-Gillis-Waas
This week, the final screening has been completed in the non-overlapping part of the initial surveillance zone Sint-Gillis-Waas, the narrow part towards Antwerp. As a result, this part of the zone could be lifted last night and only national measures are now in effect there.
The further planning for the zones around the outbreak in Stekene is as follows:
- The protection zone of 3 km will be incorporated into the 10 km surveillance zone starting March 27.
- The final screening of the surveillance zone is scheduled for the first days of April. If results are favorable, this zone will be lifted on the night of April 4 to 5.
Starting today, additional derogations are provided for poultry farmers who have been in the restriction zones of Sint-Gillis-Waas for more than 30 days, allowing for the transport of laying hens and breeding cocks and the removal of manure from vacant farms.
The epidemiological situation has not noticeably changed. A significant number of infections are still reported among wild birds, particularly gulls. Attention to biosecurity in all activities involving poultry is therefore as crucial as ever.
All useful information and current maps of the zones and of the infections in wild birds can be found on the website: https://www.favv-afsca.be/professionelen/dierlijkeproductie/dierengezondheid/vogelgriep/.
NPO Avian Influenza detected in Putten
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, an outbreak of avian influenza was confirmed in Putten. This automatically means that there is a transport ban for fancy pigeons.
14-03-25 Announcement FAVV – Extension of ban on gatherings of poultry until 31-03-25
The FAVV imposed a temporary ban on gathering birds of poultry species (chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pheasants, partridges, ornamental birds, and pigeons other than racing pigeons) kept by private owners on February 5.
The reason was the increased risk of infection among privately owned birds due to increased virus circulation in wild birds and the discovery that several infections were caused by virus circulation at an event involving farm animals.
This ban initially remains in effect until Sunday, March 16, 2025.
The epidemiological situation has not substantially improved in recent weeks; on the contrary. The number of infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds has further increased: see the map on the website for an overview. This indicates that a lot of the virus is still circulating in the environment. This is also underscored by the outbreaks recorded on poultry farms. The situation in neighboring countries is similar.
Therefore, the FAVV extends the ban on gatherings until and including Monday, March 31, 2025. The modalities remain unchanged.
In summary, the ban applies:
- to gatherings of birds of poultry species held by private owners, namely chickens, turkeys, guinea fowls, ducks, geese, quails, pheasants, partridges, ornamental birds, and pigeons other than racing pigeons;
- to the presence of such birds owned by private holders at regular markets and annual markets.
Therefore, the following do not fall under the gathering ban:
- the birds of traders present at markets;
- racing pigeons and other birds than the poultry species owned by private holders.
The situation will be closely monitored and evaluated in the coming weeks. If necessary, the ban will be extended.
I further note that the protection zone (3 km) in Sint-Gillis-Waas has now been partially converted into a surveillance zone (10 km). For the further timing of the lifting of these zones, I refer to the instructions on the website.
6-03-25 Announcement from FAVV – New infection in St. Gillis-Waas
An additional infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza type H5N1 has been identified in the zones of Sint-Gillis-Waas, East Flanders. This concerns a broiler chicken farm within the existing 3 km zone, where a slight increase in mortality was observed yesterday in one of the barns.
Approximately 95,000 broiler chickens from the farm will be culled today.
Due to the new focus, the existing protection zone (radius 3 km) and surveillance zone (radius 10 km) will extend a few kilometers to the west. There are no additional commercial holdings in the expansion of the 3 km zone, but there are four in the expansion of the 10 km zone. In the original zones, the existing derogations for broilers and hatching eggs are maintained. For the new farms in the added part of the 10 km zone, these derogations may be available from Wednesday, March 12.
The measures in the zones will be extended according to the timing of the new outbreak. Only the non-overlapping part of the surveillance zone (the eastern part towards Antwerp) will be lifted according to the previous timing.
As previously indicated, infections in wild birds are also on the rise. This means that the virus pressure around poultry farms is again high and the risk of introducing avian influenza into barns is significant. Preventive rules and biosecurity must therefore be strictly enforced.
All useful information will be updated on the website as soon as possible: avian influenza measures.
1831952 instruction surveillance zone sint-gillis-waas v2 – 20250306 nl
1831951 instruction protection zone sint-gillis-waas v3 – 20250306 nl
28-02-25 Announcement FAVV: Lifting of the surveillance zone in Liège
The final screening in the surveillance zone of Liège has been completed with a favorable result in recent days.
This zone will, therefore, be lifted as planned on the night of Saturday, March 1, to Sunday, March 2.
From then on, only general, national measures will apply.
As for the zones in Sint-Gillis-Waas, the lifting in the absence of new infections is planned as follows:
- The protection zone will be incorporated into the surveillance zone starting March 11.
- The surveillance zone will be lifted in the night from Wednesday, March 19, to Thursday, March 20, provided that results from the final screening conducted the week prior are favorable.
The infection pressure from wild birds remains high. In the past week, several additional infections have been reported.
All useful information can be found on the website: https://www.favv-afsca.be/professionelen/dierlijkeproductie/dierengezondheid/vogelgriep/.
18-02-25 Announcement FAVV – New infection in Sint-Gillis-Waas
For the first time in a long time, a new infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza type H5N1 has been confirmed at a commercial poultry farm. This involves a laying hen enterprise in Sint-Gillis-Waas, East Flanders.
Approximately 90,000 hens from the farm, as well as the birds from an adjacent laying hen farm, will be culled today.
The usual protection zone (radius 3 km) and surveillance zone (radius 10 km) will be delineated around the outbreak. The surveillance zone extends partially into the Netherlands. In the Belgian portion of the zones, about 20 poultry farms are located. For these farms, derogations may become available starting Monday, February 24, for the removal of broilers and hatching eggs.
This infection is in addition to the five infections reported in recent weeks among private owners in the province of Liège. As previously indicated, infections in wild birds are also on the rise. This indicates that the virus pressure around poultry farms is again high and that the risk of introducing avian influenza into barns is significant. Preventive rules and biosecurity should thus be strictly applied.
1831951 instruction protection zone sint-gillis-waas v1 – 20250218 nl
1831952 instruction surveillance zone sint-gillis-waas v1 – 20250218 nl
All useful information will be updated on the website as soon as possible: https://www.favv-afsca.be/professionelen/dierlijkeproductie/dierengezondheid/vogelgriep/maatregelen.asp.
7-02-25 Announcement FAVV – 2 new infections among hobbyists
Today, two new infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza type H5N1 were confirmed among hobbyists in the municipalities of Theux and Thimister, both in the province of Liège. These new outbreaks are linked to the three previous infections associated with the event featuring farm animals that was held in January in Battice.
The two outbreaks are being managed in the usual manner. There is no need to delineate new zones.
In wild birds, the virus circulation appears to be on the rise. The number of reports of suspicious deaths and new infections has increased in recent weeks.
5-02-25 Announcement FAVV – New infection + temporary ban on gatherings of poultry from hobbyists
New infection with HPAI in Herstal
Today, an additional infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza type H5N1 has been confirmed in a hobbyist in the municipality of Herstal (Liège province). This hobbyist, like the two infections from last week, is linked to the event featuring farm animals that was held in January in Battice.
The infection is being managed in the usual way. There is no necessity to adjust the existing zones, but we are still evaluating whether they should be maintained longer.
Temporary ban on the gathering of birds of poultry species by hobbyists
As indicated last week in passing, the FAVV has decided to impose a temporary ban on the gathering of birds of poultry species (see the species involved below) by hobbyists.
The ban:
- is effective from tomorrow, February 6, 2025, and temporarily until Sunday, March 16, 2025;
- applies to the species chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pheasants, partridges, ornamental birds, and pigeons other than racing pigeons from hobbyists (these are the so-called poultry species);
- applies to both the classic gatherings (competitions, exhibitions, fairs, sales, etc.) and the presence of hobbyists with these poultry species at public (annual) markets.
Thus, the following do not fall under the gathering ban:
- the birds of traders, including the poultry species;
- other birds, including racing pigeons, than the aforementioned poultry species, regardless of whether they are from hobbyists or not.
The LCE will revoke or adapt the already granted licenses for such gatherings.
The situation will be reevaluated in March. Depending on the state of affairs at that time, the ban may be extended.
The pages regarding avian influenza on our website will be updated as soon as possible: https://favv-afsca.be/nl/themas/dieren/dierengezondheid/dierziekten/vogelgriep.
3-02-25 Announcement FAVV – Avian Influenza outbreaks in 2 hobbyists
There have been two infections with avian influenza virus type H5N1 confirmed among hobbyists in Liège and Ans, both in the province of Liège. The implicated virus has been analyzed today as highly pathogenic.
As the hobbyist in Liège keeps more than 50 birds, the usual restriction zones of 3 km (protection zone) and 10 km (surveillance zone) will be delineated around this infection. The usual measures for poultry holdings and activities are in effect in these zones: see the attached documents.
It is important that all birds in the protection zone and all poultry in the surveillance zone must be confined, and that all activities involving poultry and birds in both zones are prohibited. In the absence of new infections, the protection zone will be converted into a surveillance zone after 3 weeks; the latter can only be lifted after 30 days.
Derogations will be provided for the commercial holdings in the surveillance zone, who must transport animals to the slaughterhouse, starting mid-next week.
Since these are infections among kept birds, our country does not lose its free status for commercial poultry.
These infections are notable because both holders participated with some birds in the competitions and exhibitions of farm animals, which were organized from January 16 to 19 in Battice, also in the province of Liège. These animals became sick in the days following their return from the event. Thus, the implicated birds were likely initially infected at this event, and there is a risk that other participating animals were also infected. The FAVV will contact the involved participants based on the attendee lists from the event.
These infections underscore once again that gatherings of birds are a risk factor in the spread of avian influenza. I would like to remind you that despite the low number of infections, the virus does indeed circulate among wild birds in our country. The risk of infection for kept birds is thus real. Given these events, the FAVV is evaluating whether it is still appropriate to allow gatherings of hobby birds in the coming months.
Regardless of a potential decision regarding this, I would like to remind you that all permitted events already have rules in place. I refer to the general measures for avian influenza: https://favv-afsca.be/sites/default/files/ccc/ai/1714119-algemene_maatregelen-v8-20241122-nl.pdf
In summary, all participating poultry holders at such events must be registered in Sanitel, confine their animals in the 10 days prior to the event, and be compliant with the mandatory vaccinations against Newcastle disease. Organizers of such gatherings must timely register their event with the LCE. They must clearly communicate these rules to all participants and require the necessary guarantees that they comply!
I further note that the risk of infection for holders and visitors at the event in Battice is very low. The virus found is a typical bird virus and is not adapted to humans.
Our website: https://favv-afsca.be/nl/themas/dieren/dierengezondheid/dierziekten/vogelgriep.
- 1830973-instruction_protection_zone_Liège-v1-20250130-nl
- 1830974-instruction_surveillance_zone_Liège-v1-20250130-nl