Avian flu has been detected at a poultry farm in Bellpuig, Lleida, prompting the Catalan government to activate a public health alert.

Consequently, authorities have established a 10-kilometre restriction zone around the affected farm and initiated controls at all other holdings within the safety perimeter.

Swift Response to Avian Flu Outbreak

Agriculture Minister Òscar Ordeig confirmed the positive case in a press conference on Wednesday.

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He stated that all animals at the infected farm will be culled as part of the mandatory eradication protocol. Furthermore, officials have inspected other farms in the immediate vicinity, with no further cases detected so far.

Minister Ordeig sought to reassure the public regarding food safety. “Avian flu does not affect people through the consumption of meat and eggs,” he emphasised. However, he urged citizens and media not to approach the affected site to prevent potential virus dispersal.

The minister suggested a wild bird may be the origin of this outbreak, which marks the first detected case in Catalonia since 2023. “The origin is still unknown,” Ordeig explained. “There are many wild birds, and there may have been some type of contact, but the experts will determine that.”

Containment Measures and Sector Coordination

Authorities are reinforcing surveillance within a 0 to 3-kilometre radius of the positive case. Fortunately, no other farms are located within one kilometre, which officials say facilitates containment. According to reports from ARA, the alert could be lifted after 30 days if no new outbreaks emerge.

Bellpuig’s mayor, Jordi Estiarte, expressed confidence in the rapid response. “We are very satisfied with the action that has been taken,” he stated. The minister has requested the farm’s identity remain protected and announced a meeting with the agricultural sector on Boxing Day to assess the situation.

This avian flu incident follows recent concerns over other animal diseases in the region, including the swine fever crisis in Collserola. Minister Ordeig stressed the importance of strict protocol adherence, describing avian flu as “highly contagious, very lethal, and subject to mandatory eradication.”

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