Luxembourg's Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development has confirmed that the country remains free of the avian influenza virus.
Whilst the virus is not currently present in the Grand Duchy, it is now very present in neighbouring countries where it has been detected in migratory and non-migratory birds as well as in poultry. With the start of the wild bird migration season, the risk of an outbreak of this disease is again high for Luxembourg.
In order to prevent the appearance and spread of this highly pathogenic virus in the Grand Duchy, the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration has issued the following preventive biosecurity recommendations to all keepers of poultry and birds:
- confine poultry indoors or cover pens with netting;
- feeding and watering should be done inside buildings;
- any abnormal poultry mortality should be reported to a veterinarian or to the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (tel.: 247-82539);
- 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 at a market.
The Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration emphasised that the consumption of meat and eggs is safe for humans.
