Israel has detected an outbreak of the pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in more than 62,500 turkeys, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Tuesday.
The infected turkeys were found in two farms in the village of Ram On in northern Israel, said the ministry in a statement.
In recent weeks, the bird flu has spread in dozens of chicken and turkey coops in northern and southern Israel, resulting in the killing of hundreds of thousands of chickens and causing an egg shortage in the country.
The ministry noted that its veterinary services, which recently operate according to an emergency procedure, continue their active monitoring in the regions and isolating the outbreak hotspots.
The contagious H5N1 bird flu can also infect other animals, such as cats, pigs, and tigers, and, in rare cases, the humans as well.
