Heidelberg (dpa / lsw) - Because of the outbreak of avian influenza, chickens, geese and other poultry now have to stay in the barn in the Rhein-Neckar district. The district office announced on Friday that the veterinary office had issued a stable requirement for all poultry farms from March 4th. The measure is initially valid until March 31, 2023.
According to the district office, the first case of avian influenza in a peregrine falcon was confirmed on February 16. In the weeks that followed, more dead wild birds were recovered. The virus was last detected in a seagull in Dossenheim on Wednesday.
Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, has been spreading in Baden-Württemberg since the beginning of the year. It is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by influenza A viruses, which occurs primarily in waterfowl. The stable obligation is intended to protect against transmission.
It applies to the communities of Brühl, Ilvesheim, Edingen-Neckarhausen, Dossenheim, Plankstadt, Ketsch, Altlußheim and Neulußheim as well as the cities of Schwetzingen, Ladenburg, Eppelheim and Hockenheim. Poultry exhibitions and markets are prohibited.
According to experts, bird flu is not dangerous for humans, but it can cause high losses in populations of useful wings. The Ministry of Agriculture had so far refrained from a nationwide obligation to keep animals in stables.
