New avian flu case found in Harju County news.err.ee - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from news.err.ee Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Authorities have detected cases of avian flu in several locations in northern Estonia, Hele-Mai Sammel, deputy director general of the Agriculture and Food Board (Põllumajandus- ja Toiduamet) says.
An recent outbreak in Lääne-Viru County led to a poultry farm having to destroy its entire stock, while since then, instances of avian flu have been found in Harju, Lääne-Viru, Ida-Viru, Lääne and Hiiu counties, BNS reports, predominantly in wild waterfowl rather than captive or domestic birds.
Wild birds can come into contact with poultry and other domestic birds if the latter are kept outdoors in particular, meaning avian flu can vector in that way.
The Agriculture and Food Board (Põllumajandus- ja Toiduamet) has imposed a nationwide ban on poultry farms keeping their stock outdoors, starting Monday. The move follows an outbreak of avian flu at a poultry farm in Lääne-Viru County.
The ruling means poultry can only be kept outside if the board grants an exemption, which it may do if the livestock s health is jeopardized if they are kept inside; extra precautions to avoid any contact with wild birds must be installed in that case.
Hele-Mai Sammel, the Agriculture and Food Board s deputy director general, told BNS that: Since avian flu has been spreading across Europe and also reached Estonia, we hope to contain the spread of the virus further with the help of this measure.
Minister of Rural Affairs Urmas Kruuse (Reform) said that while a case of avian flu found at a Lääne-Viru County farm Friday is cause for concern, the situation is already under control, and the outbreak is on the way to being eradicated.
The Agriculture and Food Board (Põllumajandus- ja Toiduamet) is on site at the Telo Talu farm, with infected birds to be destroyed.
Kruuse said: It is vital that the virus does not spread, so in addition to eradicating the outbreak, surrounding poultry farmers will also be mapped, to inform them of the case and of the restrictions on keeping birds.