Bird flu outbreak at Dutch farm

PIC: Dutch poultry farmers have been hit by another outbreak of bird flu. (Credit: AFP)

CHICKEN | LIVESTOCK

NETHERLANDS - More than 36,000 animals have been slaughtered after an outbreak of highly contagious bird flu was detected at a Dutch poultry farm, the agriculture ministry said on Monday.

"An outbreak of a variant of H5 bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Oldekerk, Groningen province," the ministry said in a statement, adding that it is "likely a highly pathogenic variant".

To prevent the virus spreading, the ministry ordered an immediate ban on the transportation of poultry, eggs, meat and manure within a ten-kilometre (six-mile) zone around the farm in the north of the country.

AFP