Belgium Battles Expanding Avian Flu Outbreak as Cases Surge Across Provinces

Belgium is grappling with a growing wave of avian influenza cases as the H5 strain spreads across multiple provinces. The Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain confirmed fresh detections in Limburg and Namur, where a poultry farm in La Bruyère has now recorded the province’s second outbreak.

Source: globalnews

Limburg is also on high alert after three farms reported infections within days, prompting swift containment efforts. Authorities have begun culling affected flocks and setting up strict protection and surveillance zones around each site to curb the spread.

Agriculture Minister David Clarinval has reinstated mandatory poultry housing for commercial farmers and registered hobby keepers, a move aimed at reducing the risk of further transmission. Wildlife rescue teams in Limburg say they are already feeling the pressure, with the Natuurhulpcentrum responding to about 10 calls a day as the virus spreads among wild birds.

Across the Atlantic, the United States is facing its own concerns. Health officials in Washington state have confirmed that the H5N5 subtype has claimed the life of an elderly man with underlying health issues. It marks the second human death linked to avian influenza in the US this year, following a similar case reported in January.