Nearly 400,000 hens destroyed on a farm in Debelets due to bird flu

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency has detected an outbreak of Avian Influenza A in the town of Debelets, Veliko Tarnovo Region. The disease was detected in a breeding facility for laying hens. About 395 000 birds are kept on the farm.

A 3-kilometre protection zone has been established around the affected breeding site, which also includes the villages of Veliko Tarnovo municipality - the town of Debelets and the town of Veliko Tarnovo.

A 10-kilometre surveillance zone around the outbreak has been defined, which includes the settlements of Veliko Tarnovo municipality - the villages of Ledenik, Momin sbor, Pushevo, Bukovets, Shemshevo, Kilifarevo, Yalovo, Natsovtsi, Verlinka, Golemanite, Plakovo. Velchevo, Pchelishte, Prisovo, Malki chiflik, Sheremetya, Arbanasi and from Gabrovo district, Dryanovo municipality - the villages of Manoya, Kosarka, Sokolovo, Runya, Salasuka, Dlagnya, Gozdeika, Turkincha, Kruncha and Zaya.

In order to contain the disease and prevent its spread, actions are being taken to humanely cull the diseased and contact birds in the sites.

An epizootic survey and traceability of movements of poultry and other birds, eggs, products and animal by-products derived therefrom, poultry feed, and transport vehicles related to the technological process in the areas will be carried out by the Food Agency.

The Agency reminds that it is essential that keepers comply with the rules on disease prevention.