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From: TT
Published:
Photograph: Jurek Holzer / SvD / TT
Animal owners are urged to pay attention, as bird flu was discovered among turkeys in Skåne. Stock Photography.
Bird flu has been discovered in a herd of turkeys in Skåne. Now the infected birds will be killed and the facility will be cleaned. But there is no evidence that humans can be infected by the virus.
A farm in Skåne has been quarantined since the disease was found among turkeys on the farm. No animals or animal products can leave the farm, infected birds must be culled and the facility must be cleaned, according to the Swedish Veterinary Institute (SVA).
The virus, H5N8, is highly contagious between birds, but there is no evidence that humans can be infected. Recently, cases of bird flu have been detected in several European countries and have led to extensive measures: in Germany more than 70,000 birds have been killed to eliminate the infection.
High level of protection
Therefore, the Swedish Board of Agriculture decided on November 6 to upgrade to protection level 2 in Sweden, which means, among other things, that domestic birds should generally be kept indoors. The purpose is to avoid contact between domestic birds and wild birds that are believed to carry the infection.
– We have not yet found it in wild birds in Sweden, but it is probably only a matter of time. We probably have it among wild birds, but it’s something we’re investigating, says Maria Nöremark, acting state epizootologist at SVA.
It cannot be eradicated
Animal owners across the country are now being urged to pay special attention to, among other things, the increase in mortality among poultry and to contact a veterinarian if something appears to be wrong. The public can also help SVA by sending dead birds that are found.
– This is not something we can eradicate, but if you work carefully to protect your crew, you can reduce the risk of contracting it. It’s as much about protecting yourself from wild birds as it is from contact with other herds, says Maria Nöremark.
For those who eat eggs and poultry, the risk is almost non-existent according to the Swedish Public Health Agency. On the one hand, there is nothing to indicate that humans are infected with the virus, and on the other hand, the mortality rate of infected birds is so high that their products should not reach consumers. According to the National Food Administration, you can continue to eat eggs and poultry.
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