The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has announced that additional protective measures will be applied from next month to prevent the spread of the avian influenza virus, following this week’s findings that there is an increased risk of infection in Europe, particularly among wild birds, migration movements and colder temperatures. Specifically, it includes measures to confine poultry in areas considered to be at special risk and require monitoring, with a total of 1,199 municipalities;
The affected regions are Andalusia (197), Aragon (128), Canary Islands (1), Cantabria (31), Castilla and León (250), Castilla-La Mancha (18), Catalonia (224), Madrid (16), Valenciana (138), Extremadura (99) and Galicia. (40), Balearic Islands (14), La Rioja (6), Navarra (12), Basque Country (6), Principality of Asturias (8), Murcia (11), Ceuta and Melilla.
The Ministry, headed by Luis Planas, in agreement with the Autonomous Communities, has fully activated protective measures against avian influenza in view of the Decree APA/2442/2006 of July 27th. Some prohibitions and obligations in the area of special risks and special monitoring include the prohibition on using birds of the order Anseriformes and Chiraptera as symbols and breeding ducks and geese with other poultry.
It is also prohibited to raise poultry outdoors. However, the Ministry of Agriculture provides that if this is not possible, the competent authority may permit poultry to be kept outdoors by installing outdoor screens or other devices to prevent the entry of wild birds.
In this case, wild birds tend to forage and breed within facilities or shelters that prevent wild bird arrival and avoid contact with enclosure food and water. However, it is also prohibited to give water to poultry from reservoirs where wild birds may enter, unless the water has been treated to ensure the inactivation of the avian influenza virus. Therefore, reservoirs installed outdoors for animal welfare reasons for certain coralbird species will be well protected from wild waterfowl.
Do not allow birds into animal concentration centers
The presence of poultry and other types of captive birds, as well as the concentration of domestic fowl and other types of captive birds, are also prohibited in animal concentration centers that include livestock events, demonstrations, exhibitions, and cultural celebrations.
The Ministry of Agriculture reminded that for the rest of the territory, extreme biosecurity measures in poultry farms, in particular measures designed to avoid contact with wild birds, increased passive surveillance and the need to notify official veterinary institutions as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the Ministry recalled that autonomous communities have animal health capacities, which is why they can strengthen local protection against this disease and conclude other complementary measures to prevent its spread.
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