Find Avian Flu In Wild Goose, Belgium Requires Poultry To Be Confined In Closed Spaces

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JAKARTA - The Belgian government has tightened efforts to prevent bird flu as the virus spreads throughout Europe.

The Belgian food safety agency, AFSCA, in a statement as quoted by Reuters via Antara, said that efforts to tighten it had been carried out since today.

Poultry must be kept in closed spaces after a highly pathogenic avian influenza variant was discovered in wild geese in the town of Schilde near Antwerp.

The AFSCA said the case was the first case in a wild bird since March 1, 2021, and showed that active circulation of the virus in wild birds had occurred again.

"I must ensure that we prevent bird flu contamination of our poultry at all costs," Agriculture Minister David Clarinval tweeted.

"Let's implement confinement to avoid the losses our farmers have suffered in the past."

This precaution applies to both professional and personal livestock owners. A number of other European countries have also taken the same steps.

Dutch authorities in October ordered commercial breeders to confine all their livestock after a bird flu case was reported from a farm.

France also extended its mandatory indoor poultry storage earlier this November. Meanwhile, Germany also reported a number of bird flu outbreaks.