The Danish authorities have decided to kill 25,000 chickens due to an outbreak of H5N8 avian flu on a chicken farm. This is reported by Ekstra Bladet with reference to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.
This is the first time avian influenza has been detected in chickens since 2016. It was previously found in various places, especially in Jutland, among wild birds. No cases of avian influenza infection among humans have yet been identified.
The poultry population will be destroyed, a 3 km zone will be created around the infected farm, where special restrictions will apply to all poultry flocks, and a 10 km zone will be created where intensive monitoring of wild birds and flocks will be carried out.
“An outbreak of avian influenza in domestic herds is extremely serious for the herd and poses a threat to all poultry owners, as the disease has a high mortality rate,” said veterinarian John Larsen of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.
In addition, the authorities have suspended exports of poultry and eggs to countries outside the EU for at least three months. However, trade with the EU countries may continue as before.
Earlier, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the decision to destroy all minks in the country's fur farms to prevent the spread of the mutated coronavirus. According to the prime minister, a mutated infection has been found in minks, which spreads to humans and weakens the ability to form antibodies. Frederiksen warned that a new mutation of the coronavirus could spread not only throughout the country, but also around the world.
