A bird flu epidemic is raging in Germany - according to official data, more than half a million birds have been killed to limit the spread of the disease. Since the beginning of September, 31 new outbreaks of the disease have been identified at poultry farms in the country. Despite strict measures taken by the government and veterinary services, the virus is spreading very rapidly.
A representative of the Friedrich Loeffler Institute noted that the situation is changing rapidly, and "current figures reflect only a momentary picture." This means that the disease has not yet been fully controlled.
According to the FLI (Institute for Epidemic Control), the majority of avian influenza outbreaks were identified in Lower Saxony (8 cases). Several cases were also recorded in the Brandenburg and Meklenburg regions. The virus has also begun to spread in Thuringia, Schleswig-Holstein, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, and Bavaria.
Although the exact number of birds affected by the disease has not been calculated, according to some estimates, more than 1,500 cranes may have died from avian influenza in Brandenburg alone.
Although avian influenza is not typically dangerous to humans, it causes significant economic damage to the agricultural sector. According to Robert Schmak, chairman of the Bavarian Poultry Farms Association, egg prices may rise against the backdrop of the epidemic, and the range of poultry products in stores may decrease.
The German Poultry Industry Central Association (ZDG) also assessed the situation seriously. The association's president, Hans-Peter Goldnik, called on the federal government on October 27 to mandate the confinement of all birds in enclosed spaces to stop the spread of the virus.
Experts believe that if the epidemic continues uncontrolled, there may be a shortage of eggs and poultry meat in the country, which could lead to a sharp increase in prices. Currently, epidemiological services are developing additional measures to limit the spread of the disease.
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