Why is Belgium culling 55,000 chickens?

Belgium is culling chickens due to a detected outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu.

Where in Belgium did the H5N1 bird flu outbreak occur?

The outbreak was detected in a western Belgian province, near the border with France.

Is this H5N1 bird flu outbreak unique to Belgium?

No, an unprecedented number of bird flu outbreaks have been observed across Europe and other regions, including a recent report from Israel.

Home / Health / Belgium Culls 55,000 Chickens Amid Bird Flu Outbreak

Belgium Culls 55,000 Chickens Amid Bird Flu Outbreak

9 Jan

•

Summary

Belgium will cull 55,000 chickens due to bird flu.
The outbreak is in a western province near the French border.
This H5N1 strain has seen unprecedented spread in Europe.

Belgium Culls 55,000 Chickens Amid Bird Flu Outbreak

Belgium has announced a culling of around 55,000 chickens due to an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu. The detection occurred in a western Belgian province, close to the French border, prompting authorities to establish protection and surveillance zones. A significant portion of these zones overlaps with areas previously designated after an outbreak last month and extends into France.

The European Food Safety Authority noted last December that an exceptional number of bird flu outbreaks among wild birds, coupled with their extensive geographic spread, fueled an unusually early and strong surge of the disease across Europe in the preceding year. This situation highlights a continuing challenge for avian health management across the continent.

This development follows similar concerns in other regions. Just this week, Israel reported an outbreak of the H5N1 strain on a farm located in the northern part of the country, underscoring the ongoing global threat posed by this avian influenza virus. The situation remains under close observation.