Türkiye reports bird flu outbreak on poultry farm, WOAH confirms

Türkiye reported an outbreak of the highly contagious H5N1 strain of avian influenza on a poultry farm, marking the first such instance in over a year, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) announced on Monday.

The outbreak occurred at a commercial farm in the Meram district of Konya Province, where 211 birds from a flock of approximately 790,000 died due to the virus.

Initial measures and containment steps taken

According to a report from Turkish authorities, the Konya Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry dispatched veterinary officials to the site on Oct. 31 after receiving information about poultry deaths.

Samples taken from the farm were analyzed by experts from the Konya Veterinary Control Institute, confirming the presence of the H5N1 strain. The affected farm has been placed under quarantine, and a protection and surveillance zone with a 10-kilometer (6.21-mile) radius has been established.

In response, biosecurity measures have been reinforced at nearby facilities. Officials have started the destruction of potentially infected birds, eggs, and feed to mitigate the spread of the virus.

Authorities stress isolated nature of incident

The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry emphasized that the bird flu case in Konya is an isolated incident and does not constitute a nationwide outbreak.

Basın Açıklaması pic.twitter.com/gWmAIv0E8d

— T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı (@TCTarim) November 2, 2024

“The situation in our country cannot be classified as an epidemic,” the ministry stated. Eggs produced by the infected birds were destroyed before they could enter the consumer market to prevent potential transmission.

The outbreak aligns with a seasonal rise in avian influenza cases across Europe and the Middle East, impacting poultry industries and prompting enhanced monitoring measures.