Germany Battles Deadly Bird Flu Outbreak: 400,000 Chickens Culled to Stop the Spread

Germany faces a deadly bird flu outbreak, culling 400,000 chickens to stop the H5N1 virus. Experts warn the crisis may worsen with winter migration.

Germany is going through a serious crisis of bird flu, forcing authorities to cull around four lakh birds to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Poultry farmers across the northern and eastern region, especially Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg, have been affected the most. According to the official confirmation, the virus responsible for all this is the H5N1 strain, known for spreading rapidly among poultry and wild birds. The mass culling is part of an emergency effort to prevent the outbreak from devastating the Country’s poultry industry.

Germany Bird Flew Outbreak

The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), which is the animal health Institute in Germany, has recorded that this outbreak has started earlier than usual for the winter migration season. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, about 15,000 hens were culled at two farms, while in Brandenburg, about 1,30,000 birds were destroyed after positive tests. According to the exports, this virus is mainly spreading because of migratory wild birds, as they are the main source of infection during seasonal migration. FLI exports warn that this could be the beginning of a wider European wave if strict contaminant measures are not maintained.

Is Bird Flu Dangerous For Humans?

Experts say that the risk of spreading the virus among humans is very low, but the people who stay in direct contact with the infected birds, such as farmers and cleanup workers can Face small risk and must use protective equipments. So in this case, no human have been infected by this virus. However, the virus has highly affected the birds, often killing entire flocks within a day.

Impact Of Flu On Farmers And Food Supply

This outbreak has become a concern for the German poetry industry. Keeping both livelihood and food supply in a threat. Farmers are advised to keep their poetry inside, disinfect them regularly and reduce contact with wild birds. In this hard time, government has decided to support the farmers financially through national animal disease funds.

In winter migration, season in full swing, officials expect more potential outbreaks. Expert have decided to pay more attention, fast, testing, and maintaining strict hygiene to prevent farmers from further spread of virus.