The European Commission expands measures against avian flu following outbreaks in Spain, Poland, and Portugal

The European Commission has modified the emergency measures in relation to avian influenza following outbreaks in Portugal, Spain, and Poland, as reported this Thursday by the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). The executive decision recalls that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is an infectious viral disease of birds that can have "serious consequences" on the profitability of poultry farming, by disrupting trade within the Union and exports to third countries. Spain, Poland, and Portugal have notified the Commission of four new outbreaks of HPAI in establishments where captive birds or poultry are raised, the Commission pointed out. These include an outbreak in poultry in the province of Valladolid (Spain), two outbreaks in poultry located in the Warmia-Masuria region (Poland), and another in captive birds in the district of Santarém (Portugal). In addition, just yesterday, another outbreak in Valdemoro (Madrid), affecting 450,000 hens in five sheds, was ...