Avian Influenza Detected in Gasselternijveenschemond

A transport ban applies immediately throughout the 10-kilometer zone. This means that no poultry and breeding and consumption eggs may be transported from locations with birds in this zone. There is also a ban on the removal of manure from birds and used bedding, and for other animals and animal products from companies with birds. These measures are necessary to prevent the spread to other parts of the country.

There is also a housing and shielding obligation throughout the entire 10-kilometer zone. The housing obligation applies to commercially kept birds and the shielding obligation applies to non-commercially kept at-risk birds (for example, hobbyist-kept chickens). The shielding and housing obligation is an effective preventive measure to prevent new infections, as it reduces the chance of contact between wild infected birds and kept birds.

The location of the 10-kilometer zone can be seen on the animal diseases viewer of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

The NVWA is conducting a tracing investigation into risky contacts. This examines whether products or poultry have been transported to and from this location in the period leading up to the report. If necessary, additional measures will follow, such as extra sampling or blocking a risky contact company. These measures will be communicated via an update in this press release and through the online channels of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature (LVVN).

Currently, there is no national housing and shielding obligation in the Netherlands. This infection does not warrant the immediate introduction of a national housing and shielding obligation. However, the expert group on animal diseases will meet again in the short term for a risk assessment.