Austria Declares Nationwide Bird Flu Risk Area
The Austrian Ministry of Health has officially classified the entire country as a risk area for bird flu (avian influenza), implementing new and stricter safety protocols effective from the early hours of Friday. This declaration follows a recent outbreak of bird flu in the Amstetten district of Lower Austria, where approximately 18,000 animals were culled to prevent further spread of the disease.
To assist with the situation, the Austrian military will initiate a support mission in Amstetten on Friday, focusing on the removal of deceased animals and the decontamination of lorries and containers associated with affected farms. In response to the outbreak, a protection zone has been established around the impacted farms, extending three kilometres in radius. Veterinarians have been tasked with inspecting 78 farms within this zone for any indications of bird flu.
Additionally, a surveillance zone has been set up with a 10-kilometre radius that will remain in effect for 30 days. Furthermore, 25 districts across Lower and Upper Austria, as well as Styria, Salzburg, Carinthia, and Burgenland, have been identified as areas with a significantly heightened risk of bird flu. Within these districts, farms housing more than 50 animals are mandated to keep their livestock indoors.
Outdoor Feeding Prohibition
“We have already taken precautions in Lower Austria by designating four districts as risk areas where there is a general obligation to house animals indoors. I am aware that the Federal Ministry is considering more extensive measures for even larger regions across the federal provinces, and these initiatives are already being implemented,” stated Susanne Rosenkranz, the councillor responsible for Labour, Animal Welfare, Consumer Protection, and Nature Conservation in the Lower Austrian government.
Due to the escalated risk of infection, a ban on outdoor feeding of animals has been enacted throughout Austria. Authorities are also enforcing measures to prevent contact between poultry and wild birds, which must be achieved through the use of nets or roofs. Recently, new cases of bird flu have been identified in four farms with around 200,000 animals located in Upper and Lower Austria, and there has been a noticeable increase in cases among wild birds.
“In order to effectively contain the spread of this disease, we are declaring the entirety of Austria as an area with increased risk,” explained representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, which also oversees animal welfare.
While the origins of the initial infections in Austria remain unclear, it is known that cases were first reported in wild birds and domestic poultry in September, coinciding with severe flooding that affected various areas of Lower Austria.
Avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease primarily affecting poultry and wild water birds. It can be categorized as either high pathogenicity (HPAI) or low pathogenicity (LPAI), based on its severity in causing illness or death in the host organism. HPAI is particularly deadly to domestic poultry, often resulting in the rapid demise of entire flocks, while LPAI strains generally lead to minimal or no symptoms of disease.
Transmission to humans is still considered rare and typically occurs only among individuals who have close contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. Back in July, European agencies including the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the European Food Safety Authority urged heightened vigilance, warning that although bird flu cases in Europe had decreased, the threat persisted due to migratory patterns of birds after the summer season.
