Austria declares nationwide bird flu risk, imposes strict measures

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) – Austria's Health Ministry on Thursday declared the entire country to be at high risk of bird flu and announced the implementation of strict new biosecurity measures beginning at midnight.

Poultry farmers must now use protective barriers such as nets and roofs to keep domestic poultry and wild birds apart, the ministry said in a statement.

Feeding and watering must take place indoors or in sheltered areas, and water sources accessible to wild birds are strictly off-limits, it said, adding that ducks and geese must also be kept separate from other poultry to reduce transmission risks.

The decision follows the confirmation of bird flu in four poultry farms in Upper and Lower Austria, affecting around 200,000 birds, as well as an increase in cases among wild birds across the country.

Additionally, 25 districts, including areas in Upper and Lower Austria, Styria, Salzburg, Carinthia, and Burgenland, have been classified as high-risk zones where farms with over 50 birds must house them indoors, according to the ministry.

Authorities are stepping up inspections and imposing movement restrictions around these areas in an effort to control the spread of the highly contagious virus.

"The virus can be easily transmitted from infected wild birds or their droppings to domestic poultry. It is highly contagious," it warned. "The disease is usually fatal in poultry."