11/5/2020: 

In Altforst avian influenza (H5) has been found at a farm housing broilers and parent stock. This concerns a highly pathogenic variant. There are no other farms within a 1-kilometre radius of the farm in question. The poultry will be culled in order to prevent the virus from spreading.There are approximately 35,700 animals in total. The culling process will be conducted by the NVWA (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority). Nine other poultry farms are located within a 3-kilometre radius of the infected farm in Altforst. These farms will be sampled and tested for avian influenza. There are a further 25 poultry farms in the 10-kilometre zone around this farm. A transport prohibition applies to this zone.

In Puiflijk avian influenza (H5) has been found at a farm housing layers. This probably concerns a highly pathogenic variant. There is one other poultry farm within a 1-kilometre radius of the farm in question. In order to prevent the virus from spreading, the poultry at both the infected farm and the farm within the 1-kilometre radius will be culled by the NVWA (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority). Around the farm in Puiflijk, a 3-kilometre zone and a 10-kilometre zone have been established, in which measures apply as of today. The zones largely overlap the area in Altforst. There are approximately 100,000 layers on the infected farm in Puiflijk and 115,000 layer pullets on the other farm (within 1 kilometre). The infected farm is located in the 3-kilometre zone established around Altforst last week. As a result, the 3-kilometre and 10-kilometre zones largely overlap. In the ‘new’ 3-kilometre zone around the infected farm in Puiflijk, there are 6 other poultry farms, including the farm in Altforst at which the poultry was culled previously. The remaining farms will be sampled and tested for avian influenza. There are 24 poultry farms in the 10-kilometre zone around this farm. For this zone, a transport prohibition applies to poultry, eggs, poultry manure and soiled bedding; it also applies to other animals and animal products derived from commercial poultry farms.

Supplementary national measures

All the current national measures, such as compulsory indoor segregation for commercial poultry, remain in full force. The same applies to the compulsory measures for duck farms and the use of bedding. The following measures also apply:

1. The hygiene protocol for visitors has been extended. This means, for example, that visitors may only enter the broiler house or farmyard after implementing strict hygiene measures.
2. National measures will be taken for the transport of commercial poultry between farms, and for transport of ducks and turkeys to abattoirs. This transport is permitted, as long as:
   1. the transport takes place in accordance with a hygiene protocol;
   2. the poultry or ducks or turkeys are accompanied by a declaration, not older than 24 hours, by a vet that the poultry or ducks or turkeys held at the farm from which transport is taking place, have not shown any symptoms of disease, based on a clinical inspection;
3. There are also measures in place for the transport of cattle, day-old chicks, manure, eggs, animal fodder, milk or bedding to or from a commercial duck or turkey farm. This transport is permitted, as long as:
   1. the route to be taken by the transporter visits no more than one commercial poultry farm;
   2. the transport takes place in accordance with a hygiene protocol.
4. Zoos, petting zoos and owners of non-commercial birds are obliged to segregate their poultry and waterfowl in order to prevent these animals from coming into contact with wild waterfowl and their faeces.
5. Public display of show poultry and waterfowl is prohibited.

Sources: Dutch national government and AVINED