Bird Flu: Belgium Latest To Order Farming Restrictions 

Belgium Agriculture Minister David Clarinval arrives astatine a gathering gathering selected ministers of Belgium’s national authorities connected 13 October 2025 successful Brussels. Credit: MARIUS BURGELMAN/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

Belgium is nan latest European state to present stricter measures to curb vertebrate flu pursuing detections connected a commercialized tract and a hobby holding. 

The country’s Federal Agency for nan Safety of nan Food Chain (FASFC) said yesterday (22 October) it was “strengthening protective measures” from coming aft an “increasing number of infections successful chaotic birds” successful caller weeks. 

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H5N1 avian influenza was confirmed astatine a commercialized poultry workplace successful Houthulst, West Flanders, and astatine a hobby premises successful Welkenraedt, Liège, nan agency said.  

Birds astatine nan Houthulst tract are being culled to limit further spread. 

Authorities person established a 3km protection area and a 10km surveillance area astir nan Houthulst outbreak.  

Under nan caller restrictions, effective coming (23 October), each commercialized and Sanitel-registered farms successful Belgium are required to confine poultry/birds, provender and h2o them indoors aliases nether nets, and must not usage untreated aboveground aliases rainwater for poultry/wild vertebrate watering.  

David Clarinval, Belgium’s Minister of Agriculture, said: “This first infection connected a commercialized farm, arsenic good arsenic nan contamination successful a hobby keeper, intelligibly shows that avian flu is backmost successful our country.  

“The play is starting and viral unit will accelerate/increase successful nan coming months. I truthful telephone for everyone’s vigilance and nan rigorous exertion of biosecurity measures.” 

According to nan FASFC, infections among chaotic birds person climbed again successful caller weeks, first on nan seashore and now crossed nan country.  

“At nan extremity of past week, nan first lawsuit of infection of nan play was detected successful a hobby breeder successful Welkenraedt,” it added. 

Germany, nan Netherlands and France are besides reporting much cases successful chaotic birds and outbreaks successful poultry. 

On Tuesday (21 October), France announced a akin move, which came aft measures successful nan Netherlands past week.  

FASFC described avian influenza arsenic a highly contagious viral illness affecting almost each vertebrate species.  

Disease severity varies by strain, situation and concurrent infections.  

Transmission tin hap done interaction pinch infected birds aliases contaminated materials, specified arsenic manure aliases soiled crates. 

It noted that mammals tin beryllium infected successful uncommon instances, for illustration aft consuming carcasses of infected birds aliases done adjacent vulnerability to nan virus.  

“Contamination successful humans is exceptional,” nan agency said, adding: “To date, nary cases of human-to-human transmission of nan microorganism person been observed anyplace successful nan world.”