Slovakia has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus among backyard poultry, the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has said.
The outbreak followed several outbreaks among poultry farms in Europe and Asia in recent weeks in a sign the virus is spreading quickly again.
The virus was detected in 14 backyard birds in Dunajska Streda, southeast of Bratislava, the OIE said, citing a report from the Slovakian authorities.
Elsewhere, the Czech State Veterinary Administration will force the country's poultry farms to keep flocks indoors, with some exceptions, to cut the risk of bird flu outbreaks.
The nationwide measures come after detection of a growing number of cases of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe.
Bird Flu Outbreak
Last week, several outbreaks of severe bird flu were reported in Europe and Asia to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), in a sign the virus was spreading quickly again.
Hungary reported an outbreak of the virus among farm poultry. The outbreak in the Bacs-Kiskun region led to the slaughter of over 38,000 ducks on one farm, as well as around 500 geese on a second farm, the Paris-based OIE said, citing a report from the Hungarian authorities.
In early November, the French government put the entire country on high alert for bird flu and extended a requirement to keep poultry flocks indoors – a measure already implemented in certain areas since September.
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