Controls in Cloppenburg district because of bird flu

Bird flu in six farms in the district of Cloppenburg

05/17/2013

After a case of bird flu (type H 7) became known in a turkey farm in Vechta on Wednesday, six farms in the district of Cloppenburg have now been identified who had contact with the affected farm on the day of the outbreak of bird flu. According to the press office of the district, samples have already been taken, but the results are not yet available.

County of Cloppenburg takes precautions for possible spread of bird flu
As the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food Agriculture and Consumer Protection announced on Wednesday, have been found at self-inspections of a farm in Vechta avian influenza virus type H7. As a result, Vechta County ordered the immediate closure of the affected farm and ordered the official investigation of further samples confirming infection with the pathogens. According to the ministry, around 11,000 animals have to be killed due to the risk of bird flu spreading. All the necessary measures have already been taken in the case of the three turkey stocks affected by a mild form of bird flu in the district of Osnabrück and an outdoor laying hen farm in the district of Emsland. In the two companies in the district of Osnabrück, however, the measures could be reversed in the meantime, because the bird flu is already extinct there.

Only a few weeks ago, when the bird flu cases in Osnabrück were known, the samples in the district of Cloppenburg gave a negative result for H7. As the spokesman for the district, Frank Beumker, said, however, prepare as a precaution to the danger of spreading the bird flu from the district Vechta before. „The events in the district of Vechta are followed very closely“, reported the Beumker opposite the „Nordwest-Zeitung“.

Avian flu H7 only dangerous for poultry
Although the rather mild variant of H7 avian influenza can be dangerous for poultry flocks, for the people in the affected counties, however, there is no danger. Only the human pathogenic variant of avian influenza H7N9 can affect humans as it does in China. Those affected usually showed the typical bird flu symptoms with fever and suffered from pneumonia. For about 25 percent of those proven to be infected, the bird flu ended fatally. (Ag)

Picture: Picture: Aka