In one week, over 50 dead birds have been found in the municipalities of Skien, Porsgrunn and Bamble. Ten dead swans have also been found in Larvik. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is concerned after the deadly bird virus has also been detected in Telemark. – It is very serious and causes birds to die, says head of department Asle Fremgård in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Telemark department. A number of measures have already been introduced in Rogaland, Innlandet and Østlandet to prevent the spread of both bird flu and Newcastle disease. The latter disease primarily attacks the respiratory tract, but also the stomach, intestines and nervous system in poultry. There is a low risk of people becoming infected. This is Newcastle disease Newcastle disease (ND) is a very serious viral disease in domestic and wild poultry. It primarily attacks the respiratory tract, but also the stomach, intestines and nervous system. Typical symptoms are a sudden loss of appetite, low mood, drop in egg production and difficulty breathing. If the nervous system is attacked, one will see tremors in the head, paralysis of the wings and twisted head position. Severe greenish-yellow diarrhea is observed when the stomach/intestine is attacked. Sick animals usually die within 72 hours. In some flocks, the mortality rate can be up to 90 per cent. There is a very low risk for humans to become infected, especially if gloves are used when handling sick birds. The virus causes mild symptoms in humans, such as eye inflammation or mild flu-like symptoms. ND is a disease on national list 1. This means that if you suspect the disease in animals, or it has been detected, you must notify the Norwegian Food Safety Authority immediately. The disease is combated by culling and destroying all the animals in a herd. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has drawn up its own control plan for the disease. Source: Norwegian Food Safety Authority Contamination out of control The Norwegian Food Safety Authority in Telemark received the positive test results on Tuesday. Six dead birds have been analyzed by the Veterinary Institute. The infection comes with migratory birds and is out of control, says the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. – It is difficult to control the amount of infection out in nature, says Fremgård. Asle Fremgård is head of department for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Telemark department. Photo: Vegard Lilleås / news The virus outbreak has been recorded in several places in Eastern Norway, primarily in pigeons. It has been proven in Oslo, Follo, Moss, Sandefjord, Indre Østfold and Fredrikstad, among others. – For the time being, there is limited infection, but we fear that the amount of infection outside among wild birds will increase. According to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the biggest danger is that the virus enters commercial poultry farms. – It can have major consequences, says the head of department. If a case of infection is discovered in a chicken coop or similar, it will lead to the entire herd having to be euthanized. The farmer will suffer great financial losses. Skien municipality has found several dead pigeons on the roofs of buildings in the city centre. A common feature is that the pigeons have hidden in cavities. Photo: Eigil Movik For consumers, this can again lead to more expensive eggs and chicken in the shop, explains Fremgård. – If the virus establishes itself and becomes a lasting threat, it will lead to increased production costs. Measures against the spread of infection Game manager Eigil Movil at the Grenland Landbrukskontor has brought in several dead birds. – This is not something I have experienced as long as I have worked with wildlife management, he told news earlier this week. Measures and restrictions have already been initiated in 34 municipalities in Eastern Norway. The main aim of the measures is to prevent the virus from spreading from wild to domesticated birds. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is now sending out information to everyone who deals commercially with poultry. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority will send out information to everyone who deals with poultry, either commercially or on a hobby basis. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news Anyone who has chickens or birds as a hobby is asked to go to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s website and register, so that they can get advice and help. – What is important now is that they protect their own birds from coming into contact with wild birds, or the faeces of wild birds, says Fremgård. In practice, this means that birds and chickens must be kept under cover with fine-mesh netting all around, so that wild birds cannot enter. To avoid gatherings of wild birds, it is important that people do not feed them, says the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. Spread of bird flu Last week, the Veterinary Institute detected a serious form of bird flu in three swans at Frognerkilen in Oslo and Holmen in Asker. The Veterinary Institute informed NTB that the detected disease is the most serious type of bird flu. In October last year, bird flu and Newcastle disease were detected in poultry in Rogaland. In 2021, bird flu was detected for the first time in a commercial poultry farm in Norway. 7,500 laying hens were killed.
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Serious bird virus spreads in southern Norway – over 60 birds found dead in one week – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
