Bird flu: all of Austria is at risk

Austrian government declares that the entire country is a “risk zone” for bird flu. The first cases were detected in September.

A Austria is a country of risk in relation to bird flu. The entire territory was declared a “risk zone”.

The was announced this Thursday by the Austrian Ministry of Health, after outbreaks of the H5N1 virus detected in the district of Amstetten (Lower Austria).

The case was verified last week, there were outbreaks “highly pathogenic” on large poultry farms, warns the Austrian Government. They were slaughtered around 18,000 animals.

A zone of protection around the affected farms, within a radius of three kilometers.

To try to control damage, specialized veterinarians will monitor 78 farms within the area to detect any new cases

In Lower Austria, there are four districts where a general obligation to keep animals indoorssays Susanne Rosenkranz, municipal councilor in the city of Krems.

The first cases were detected two months ago, in September, in wild and domestic birds.

Health authorities still don’t know how – although it appeared during a massive flood in Lower Austria.

Bird flu is very contagious. It occurs mainly in birds and is usually deadly. It also reaches some humans, where it tends to create symptoms similar to those of the common flu; in more extreme (and rare) cases, it can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia or breathing difficulties.