Bulgaria: Bird flu outbreak in Haskovo district, African Swine Fever in Blagoevgrad district
The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) said on February 1 that it had confirmed an outbreak of Avian Influenza in the Haskovo region.
The virus was found in a breeding site for laying hens, in the village of Brod in the Dimitrovgrad municipality.
The agency said that sick and contact birds at the site would be humanely killed, with the carcases disposed of in a way that would prevent the spread of the disease. There were about 4000 hens at the site, it said.
A three-kilometre protection zone has been declared around the farm, and a 10km observation zone has been declared.
The agency said that poultry meat and products obtained at a site where an outbreak of avian influenza has been identified do not pose a danger to human health if hygienic rules for processing food in the household are observed.
On January 31, the food safety agency said that it had confirmed an outbreak of African Swine Fever on a private farm in the village of Kavrakirovo, Petrich municipality, Blagoevgrad district.
A total of five pigs are kept on the farm.
The infected and contact pigs are to be put down, and protection and observation zones have been declared. Checks will be carried out at pig farms within these zones to identify the potential source of infection, the agency said.
The food safety agency issued a reminder that it is essential that farmers follow the rules for the prevention of African Swine Fever. All cases of sick and dead pigs must be reported immediately, it said.
(Photo: ©Patrizio Martorana)
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