In Germany, authorities have announced that more than 500,000 farm birds have been culled to curb the spread of bird flu.
According to AFP, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), Germany’s national animal disease research center, confirmed outbreaks at 31 different locations since September, with the disease spreading rapidly.
A spokesperson for the institute said the situation is changing so rapidly that these figures are not final, but rather a snapshot that shows the intensity of the outbreak. The exact number of wild bird deaths remains unclear, but in the eastern state of Brandenburg, over 1,500 crane deaths are feared.
In the Brandenburg town of Neutrebbin, a reporter observed thousands of dead chickens being moved onto trailers, while dead ducks were also being removed from containers.
The most affected state so far is Lower Saxony, with confirmed outbreaks at eight locations. Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have reported six cases each.
Although bird flu rarely poses a risk to humans, it can cause severe damage to the agricultural industry and lead to shortages of essential food items.
