Ireland Battles Surge of H5N1 Bird Flu

Ireland has reported an outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu at a turkey farm in Carlow, causing significant concerns in Europe over rising cases. The lethal virus led to the death of 3,130 turkeys from a 3,240-bird flock. The remaining turkeys were culled as a precautionary measure.

An outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has swept through a turkey farm in eastern Ireland, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) announced on Wednesday. This concerning development comes as Europe grapples with a rapid increase in this lethal disease.

Governments and the poultry sector are on high alert due to the swift spread of avian influenza globally in recent years, which has devastated bird populations, disrupted supply chains, driven up food prices, and increased the risk of transmission to humans.

The Irish authorities reported that 3,130 of the 3,240 turkeys in the Carlow farm succumbed to the virus, prompting the culling of the remaining birds as a precaution, according to the Paris-based WOAH.

(With inputs from agencies.)