The presence of avian influenza or bird flu (H5N8) has been identified in several European countries in recent days. In Hungary, a new outbreak occurred at a duck farm in Kiskunmajsa. In the interests of preventing the spread of the disease, the animal health service began cunning the livestock based on the suspicion of infection; the state will provide compensation.

On 9 November the National Food Chain Safety Office’s laboratory detected the presence of the bird flu virus in a large duck farm in the Bács-Kiskun County town of Kiskunmajsa. Increased mortality was observed in the infected poultry as well as clinical symptoms characteristic of the disease. The authority took the required action immediately. A quarantine zone was established in a 3km radius surrounding the infected farm and the authority ordered a 10km observation area. In the interests of preventing the spread of disease, the animal health service began culling the poultry based on the suspicion of infection.

The detected serotype (H5N8) is the same strain of the virus as detected at a turkey farm in Békés County on 3 November 2016. In view of the probability that wild birds could act as mediators in spreading the disease, as soon as the threat became apparent on 3 November Chief Veterinarian Dr. Lajos Bognár ordered that poultry stocks throughout the country must be fed and kept in premises that are fully covered, including from the side if possible. Feed must also be kept in a closed location and must be free from access by other species. The H5N8 virus is only dangerous to poultry and has no adverse effects on humans.

In recent days there have been reports from several European countries concerning the fact that avian influenza has been detected in dead wild birds. Information about the disease and regular news updates are available in Hungarian on the National Food Chain Safety Office website (http://portal.nebih.gov.hu/madarinfluenza).

(Ministry of Agriculture Press Office)