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H5N1 Confirmed at Hamm Turkey Farm as 8,000 Birds Are Culled and Control Zones Take Effect

Officials now treat the virus as a year-round risk, prompting stricter housing orders alongside transport bans.

Overview

  • Authorities confirmed the outbreak in Hamm-Pelkum after tests by the Arnsberg veterinary laboratory, with culling completed over the weekend.
  • Protection and surveillance zones of roughly 3.1 km and 10 km cover parts of Hamm, Kreis Unna and Kreis Soest, with formal orders published Monday.
  • Keepers inside the zones must house all birds indoors, report flock numbers and unexplained illness or deaths, and submit birds for rapid testing.
  • Movement of poultry, meat, eggs and related products is prohibited into and out of affected holdings, and heightened hygiene rules apply.
  • An earlier H5N1 case in Halenhorst led to 15,000 turkeys being culled, and local officials warn of a westward shift in cases and ongoing economic strain for farmers.