The situation with bird flu in Russia may worsen

The Russian agricultural watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor, has imposed a temporary ban on the import of poultry and poultry products from the Ustets region of the Czech Republic, entire territories of Slovenia and parts of the UK, due to the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Europe. The ban includes live poultry, hatching eggs, poultry meat, finished poultry products, feed, and feed additives for birds. However, the agency has resumed the supply of hatching eggs and day-old chicks from eight enterprises in Germany's North-West region. Last year, Russia experienced 68 outbreaks of bird flu, primarily among poultry, with no outbreaks reported so far this year due to the cold winter. Experts warn of a potential surge in bird flu in April and May, when viruses become active with the melting snow and migratory birds become more mobile. The disease has also spread to Spain and Portugal, with high infection rates in chicken and turkey herds in Israel, raising concerns about its spread to Russia.