The Dutch government has enforced a nationwide confinement and shielding obligation for poultry, following a spike in bird flu cases.
The measure was unveiled after a risk assessment by an expert group on animal diseases classified the likelihood of further outbreaks in the Netherlands as moderate to high.
The decision follows bird flu outbreaks in Dutch Putten and Gelderland on Nov. 18 and in Germany’s Kleve, near the Dutch border, on Nov. 20.
The confinement order applies to all commercially kept poultry. Meanwhile, non-commercial poultry considered to be at risk, such as hobby-kept chickens, must adhere to shielding requirements.