Overview
- Authorities fear more than 1,000 cranes have died at the Linumer Teiche in Brandenburg as unusually high wild-bird mortality is reported across several states.
- Since October 1, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut has logged 16 H5N1 outbreaks in poultry across seven federal states, with about 241,000 birds culled.
- Two large layer farms in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern—with roughly 55,000 and 93,000 hens—were confirmed infected and depopulated, and Brandenburg reported additional affected holdings.
- Veterinary authorities are enforcing 3‑kilometre protection and 10‑kilometre surveillance zones with strict hygiene rules and movement restrictions for birds and products.
- FLI leaders say the infection risk for the general public is low, the public should not touch dead birds and should report findings, and experts warn the seasonal peak may still lie ahead.