Belgium reports bird flu outbreak on farm - OIE

Belgium has reported a new outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, on a poultry farm, just as it was hoping to regain the status of being free from the disease. Europe has seen fresh outbreaks of bird flu in recent weeks, led by France where veterinary services have had a hard time containing the highly contagious virus.

Belgium has reported a new outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, on a poultry farm, just as it was hoping to regain the status of being free from the disease.

Europe has seen fresh outbreaks of bird flu in recent weeks, led by France where veterinary services have had a hard time containing the highly contagious virus. The Belgian outbreak, which would be the first this year, was detected in Tielt, not far from France, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Wednesday.

It killed 193 birds and led to the slaughter of the rest of the flock of nearly 19,000 animals, the Paris-based body said, quoting information from Belgian authorities. An application for the recovery of Belgium's status of being free from highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry was submitted on March 17 and is currently under review by the OIE, Belgium's agency for the safety of the food chain FASFC said on its website.

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