Credit: Nicky Sullivan

Whilst Luxembourg has so far remained free of the avian influenza virus, the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development has urged poultry keepers to respect preventive biosecurity measures.

Since the reappearance and spread of the bird flu virus in Europe in autumn 2020, Luxembourg's veterinary laboratory has carried out 118 analyses to monitor the situation in the Grand Duchy's bird population. All tests came back negative for the virus.

Nevertheless, the Veterinary Services Administration of the Agriculture Ministry has asked keepers of poultry and birds to remain vigilant and respect the following preventive biosecurity measures:

- to protect domestic poultry from contact with wild birds, it is recommended to confine poultry indoors or cover pens with netting. Feeding and watering should be done inside buildings. Watering poultry with water from surface water reservoirs accessible to wild birds is prohibited;

- any suspicion of avian influenza (e.g. abnormal mortality) should be reported to a veterinarian;

- all poultry imports must be certified (TRACES) by an official veterinarian in the country of origin. This obligation also applies to the purchase of poultry on a market.

The Veterinary Services Administration assured that the consumption of meat and eggs is safe for humans.