Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - Avian influenza has been found in swans in the Tübingen area. Six dead swans were found in Tübingen and in Kirchentellinsfurt (Tübingen district), the Ministry of Agriculture announced on Thursday in Stuttgart. Three other animals "with suspicious signs of illness" were killed.

Protection against the virus of avian influenza in poultry stocks is now a priority, the ministry said. Keepers in the district of Tübingen should protect their poultry from contact with wild birds. "The animals must be kept in stables or under protective devices," said Minister of Agriculture Peter Hauk (CDU).

Avian influenza, also known as avian influenza, is a highly contagious infectious disease that mainly affects waterfowl. According to experts, the disease is harmless to humans.