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Belgium is confronting a renewed outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as the H5 strain has been detected in multiple poultry farms in the provinces of Limburg and Namur, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) reported Monday, according to Belga News Agency.
In Namur, a poultry farm in La Bruyere tested positive for the H5 subtype, marking the second confirmed outbreak in the province. Meanwhile, three farms in Limburg have reported infections in recent days.
Authorities are responding by culling affected flocks and establishing 3-kilometer protection zones and 10-kilometer (6.21-mile) surveillance zones around each affected site, with specific control measures applied in each area.
Agriculture Minister David Clarinval has reinstated the mandatory housing of all poultry, applying to both professional farms and registered hobby keepers, as a precautionary measure to prevent further spread.
The Natuurhulpcentrum wildlife rescue center in Limburg has reported a significant rise in call-outs, responding to approximately 10 cases per day, highlighting the increasing impact of the virus on wild bird populations.
Public health authorities have urged citizens not to handle sick or dead birds and to report any findings to local authorities for proper collection and testing.
Belgium had recently regained “free status” for HPAI earlier this year, which was lost following new infections detected in late October.
The measures now in place are in line with European Union guidelines for controlling avian influenza.
Separately, in the United States, the H5N5 subtype has been linked to the death of an elderly man with pre-existing health conditions in Washington state, marking the second confirmed human fatality from avian influenza in the country this year.
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