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Düsseldorf (dpa) - According to information from the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of the Environment, the bird flu has spread to Thuringia, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria via a company near Paderborn.

The ministry announced this at an online press conference on Monday.

After the outbreak in a laying hen farm on March 20 near Paderborn, infected animals were brought to other federal states by truck and marketed there.

It was not known at the time that they were infected.

A department head from the Ministry of the Environment, Michael Hülsenbusch, spoke of a superspreader event known from the corona pandemic.

"Here on trade routes that are not forbidden," said Hülsenbusch.

The trade routes for the live animals have been traced.

«There were outbreaks in 50 of 152 companies.

But there is still no final result, ”said the head of department.

Together with the federal government, it must now be examined whether, in the event of an outbreak of bird flu, commercial activity can be prohibited with the help of an emergency animal disease regulation.

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The disease, which is highly contagious to poultry, is often transmitted by wild birds.

In North Rhine-Westphalia there is therefore a so-called stabling requirement in the administrative districts of Detmold, Arnsberg and Münster.

This should prevent contact between animals, for example at water points.

In North Rhine-Westphalia so far 200,000 animals had to be killed in eight herds after avian influenza with the virus H5N8 was detected.

Consumers do not have to worry about the delivery of eggs over Easter, said the minister responsible, Ursula Heinen-Esser (CDU).

The number of affected four farms with laying hens is too small for this.

In NRW alone there are 38 farms with 7 million laying hens.

"We don't have to worry about the Easter egg, but about the farms and animals," said Heinen-Esser.

Avian influenza, also known as avian influenza, is an infectious disease that occurs primarily in waterfowl and other birds.

According to the ministry, the highest incidence and death rates are observed in chickens and turkeys - in some cases up to 100 percent.

Avian influenza is a notifiable animal disease and is therefore controlled by the state.

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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210329-99-14018 / 4

Communication from the NRW Ministry