Czech officials warn Polish bird flu epidemic may spread

The Czech Veterinary Office (SVS) has warned poultry farmers and meat importers of the possible spread of an ongoing bird flu epidemic in neighbouring Poland.

The warning came after Polish authorities reported a fifth outbreak of the H5N8 strain of avian flu. Hundreds of thousands of birds could already be affected.

The SVS has asked poultry farmers to limit their contact with livestock and report any signs of abnormal behaviour. Avian influenza has been detected in five farms in Poland in recent weeks.

The last European bird flu epidemic was in Germany in 2017. At that time, 40 farms were affected and nearly 100,000 birds had to be culled.

Author: Brian Kenety