No human cases of avian influenza in Kretinga district

No one person has been infected with bird flu after an outbreak was detected on a farm in Kretinga district in October, the National Public Health Centre (NVSC) has announced.

The press release says that during the implementation of bird flu prevention measures, the Klaipėda Department of the NVSC, Kretinga Branch, has identified 61 people who had contact with infected birds, their secretions or the environment.

Of these, 11 were classified as high risk, the rest as low risk. These people were followed for 14 days.

At the end of the incubation period, it was established that none of the people monitored had contracted avian influenza.

ELTA recalls that an outbreak of avian influenza has been detected in a large turkey farm in the Kretinga district. The total number of birds reared on this farm was around 20 000. The outbreak was notified by the State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT) in mid-October.

According to preliminary data, the owners of the farm noticed an increase in bird mortality last Friday. As reported to the VMVT, about 2,000 turkeys died out of 5,38,000 kept in one of the three sheds.

Protection and surveillance zones have been established around the infected farm: the movement of live birds and their products within a 10 km radius around the farm is prohibited without a separate permit from the Klaipėda District of the VMVT.

The restrictions will apply for at least 30 days after initial disinfection. The infected holding has been ordered to destroy carcasses, bedding and feed and to disinfect the entire area and poultry houses.