A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8 has been confirmed today on a Danish duck farm, following the completion of tests carried out by Denmark’s National Veterinary Institute.
The outbreak is linked to a small farm in the village of Skibstrup, near Ålsgårde, in North Zealand, where it is reported that about a third of the farm’s 30 ducks died over the weekend.
Test results show that this is the same strain of virus found over the last 10 days in wild birds in several parts of the country, particularly along the Baltic coast.
“To have found bird flu in a Danish hobby farm could have major implications for Danish exports of poultry meat,” said the deputy head of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA), Stig Mellergaard.
“When Denmark had a similar outbreak in 2006, it cost about DKK 200 million (£27m) in lost export revenues.
“Our ability to limit the damage and quickly get back to a normal situation is very dependent on both backyard breeders and professional poultry producers strictly following DVFA instructions.”
