Aalen (dpa / lsw) - Because of the bird flu, poultry farmers in the Ostalb district are asked to house their animals in stables. The regulation will come into force on Tuesday, the district office in Aalen announced. The stable requirement applies to all holders east of the federal highway 19 and in cities and communities through which the road runs.
The reason for the new order is the finding of dead gray geese in local waters that had been infected with the avian influenza virus H5N1. The regulation applies to both private and commercial poultry farmers. The purpose of housing is to prevent the virus transmission from wild birds to poultry.
Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, has been spreading in the southwest for weeks and is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by influenza A viruses, which mainly affects waterfowl. Experts say the disease is harmless to humans, but it can cause high losses in livestock flocks.
