Madrid, November 13 (IANS). Due to the increasing outbreak of bird flu in Spain, poultry farms have been ordered to be completely closed. The country’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) issued a statement regarding this on Thursday.
The decision is an extension of last week’s announcement, when Spain ordered poultry farms in high-risk areas to be kept indoors to prevent the spread of bird flu.
The ministry says that this step has been taken to prevent and control the spread of avian influenza. These closure measures are aimed at preventing contact between poultry and migratory birds that may be carriers of the virus.
According to the ministry, their move further strengthens preventive measures to stop the spread of the highly infectious disease. In the Official Gazette (BOE), the government has asked for the closure of every poultry farm, including organic farms and farms producing eggs or meat for self-consumption or direct sale.
According to this, rearing and maintenance of poultry and other birds in the open will be completely banned, however, where this is not possible, the authorities can allow keeping poultry in the open with several conditions. According to this order, it will be necessary to prevent contact with wild birds by installing netting or protective covering on the farms.
The previous order did not order a complete closure of all farms, but imposed a ban on outdoor rearing.
This order has been issued in view of the increasing outbreak of bird flu across Europe. There have been 139 cases since July, and 14 in Spain, half of which are in the Castile and León region.
–IANS
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