22-11-24 Announcement FAVV: Avian Influenza – tightening of preventive measures starting 23-11-24
The situation regarding avian influenza has evolved unfavorably in recent weeks along the migration routes crossing our country. Infections have been observed in wild birds and poultry both north and south of our country, particularly in the Netherlands, Germany, and France in the past days. Although the findings in our country are still limited – with only a small number of infections in wild birds detected – it is clear that the circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses is on the rise again. This also means that more virus is entering the environment, and the risk that poultry and kept birds become infected through contact with wild birds or their droppings is again substantial.
Minister Clarinval has therefore decided to make the preventive measures for avian influenza stricter again starting Saturday, November 23rd.
What do the adjustments entail?
Commercial poultry farms, poultry establishments registered in Sanitel, and traders
- All poultry and other birds must be housed indoors or screened with nets to prevent contact with wild birds. Groundbirds are exempt from this requirement.
- All poultry and other birds must be fed and watered indoors or screened by nets.
- No untreated surface water or rainwater may be used for poultry and other birds.
- The unloading of poultry intended for the slaughterhouse must again occur under the conditions of instruction 1714117 (see attachment).
Non-registered hobbyist holdings
- All kept birds must be fed and watered indoors or screened by nets.
- No untreated surface water or rainwater may be used for kept birds.
Two points of attention:
- It is not mandatory to house or screen birds from non-registered hobbyist holdings, but the FAVV strongly recommends this.
- In some outbreaks in neighboring countries, it has been observed that mortality in the early stages of the infection was very limited. This is different from the clinical picture established in previous years, where mortality among poultry rose very quickly to high levels.
The FAVV emphasizes the importance of sounding the alarm promptly and sending samples for research whenever a sudden unexplained mortality of just a few birds is observed in a batch of poultry. Instruction 1665176 regarding increased vigilance has also been adjusted accordingly.
I would also like to emphasize that it is absolutely necessary to strictly apply all biosecurity measures. For an overview of the obligations in this regard, please refer to the document containing general measures available on the website: https://favv-afsca.be/nl/themas/dieren/dierengezondheid/dierziekten/vogelgriep.
A press release will be distributed later today, and the website will be updated.
1714117 unloading conditions v2 – 20220512 nl
5-11-2024 Announcement FAVV: Avian Influenza – status update
The avian influenza season 2024-2025 has now begun. In the past weeks, the first new infections have been detected among wild birds along our coast. As the maps from the European reporting system ADIS in the attachment show, several infections have also been found along the migration routes that pass through our country over the past month, both in wild birds and poultry farms, notably in Poland, Germany, France, and Spain:
map 1: poultry and kept birds
map 2: wild birds
https://www.kbdb.be/vogelgriep/
It is expected that the infection pressure will gradually increase in the coming weeks. Due to the worsening conditions north of our country, more and more migratory birds will be heading south. It is impossible to predict exactly how high the infection pressure around our poultry farms will be as a result. Nonetheless, the weather conditions in the autumn (cool temperatures, humid and misty weather) allow avian influenza viruses to survive longer in the environment, increasing the risk of introduction into the barns.
I therefore call for a renewed focus on biosecurity on and around poultry farms and to strictly apply all necessary preventive measures to prevent introduction. Biosecurity is only as strong as the weakest link on the farm. In this regard, I would like to draw attention to the newsletter about the mandatory annual biosecurity survey that was distributed yesterday: https://www.static.favv.be/newsletters-vt-da/newsletter479_nl.asp.
The FAVV is currently evaluating whether the general preventive measures for avian influenza need to be scaled up again. It is being assessed whether the housing of birds on poultry farms and by traders should be reinstated in the short term and whether the unloading regulations need to be tightened again.
All relevant information is still available on the FAVV website: https://favv-afsca.be/nl/themas/dieren/dierengezondheid/dierziekten/vogelgriep.