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Erfurt (dpa / th) - After a week-long fight against avian influenza in parts of Thuringia, the Ministry of Health has given the all-clear.
The animal disease had been successfully combated, the ministry announced on Friday.
Nationwide, the compulsory stable for domestic poultry, which was imposed to protect against infection, has been lifted.
The poultry are thus allowed to go outside again.
All those involved acted quickly and consistently to contain the epidemic, also known as bird flu.
However, the recent outbreak has resulted in heavy losses from some poultry farmers.
In Thuringia, the disease, which is highly dangerous for domestic and wild birds, was first discovered in early January in a hobby poultry population in the Nordhausen district. In the second half of March there was a major outbreak via a poultry trader in North Rhine-Westphalia who had sold infected pullets to a poultry farm in Weimarer Land. No poultry industry companies were affected. However, around 1,100 animals from 36 private owners had to be slaughtered. Another 500 birds perished. The restricted areas established affected around 1,650 poultry farmers with around 630,000 animals.
Werner urged further caution in order to prevent further outbreaks.
She advised domestic chickens, turkeys, ducks or geese to avoid contact with wild birds.
For example, feeding and watering points for domestic poultry should be set up so that wild birds cannot reach them.
Infected wild birds can spread avian flu to domestic poultry.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210507-99-509736 / 2