Bird flu found in wild water birds in Netherlands

Wild water birds found dead in Monnickendam are infected with avian influenza H5N8, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Economic Affairs confirmed to Xinhua on Thursday.

"It's about grebes and tufted ducks," spokesperson Marian Bestelink told Xinhua. "I have to emphasize that it's only the case with wild water birds, not at commercial farms. To prevent an outbreak at commercial farms we already took measures."

The confirmation of H5N8, contagious and lethal to birds, came as no surprise. On Wednesday already the Ministry of Economic Affairs decided that all commercial poultry farms should keep their birds, intended for the production of meat, eggs or other products and for restocking wild, inside on one place.

The measure was taken as a precaution after H5N8 bird infections were already detected in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Switzerland. The indoor confinement does so far not apply to Dutch hobby farmers.

The several dead birds were found on Wednesday and Thursday near Monnickendam, a city in the Dutch province of North Holland at the coast of the IJsselmeer lake. More dead birds were found in the area and are currently being investigated as well.

On Thursday morning, investigators of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) started inspections of poultry farms. The Ministry of Economic Affairs urged farmers to take extra hygiene measures for their poultry.

The last time avian influenza involving the highly pathogenic H5N8 variant was identified in the Netherlands in November and December 2014. Several commercial farms were infected, but a major outbreak was prevented. Enditem