(Reuters) -Spain will require poultry to be confined indoors in high-risk areas from November 10 to prevent the spread of bird flu, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday, after a rise in outbreaks across Europe and several new cases were detected locally. The measures are precautionary and come after the risk level increased in recent […]
Health
Spain orders poultry indoors as bird flu risk rises
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(Reuters) -Spain will require poultry to be confined indoors in high-risk areas from November 10 to prevent the spread of bird flu, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday, after a rise in outbreaks across Europe and several new cases were detected locally.
The measures are precautionary and come after the risk level increased in recent weeks, the ministry said, citing a growing number of infections among wild and domestic birds in northern and central Europe.
The new rules ban outdoor breeding of poultry, shared water sources with wild birds and the use of ducks and geese alongside other species.
The move follows similar confinement orders in Ireland, France, and Britain in recent weeks as cases surge with the return of migratory birds to Europe for the winter.
(Reporting by Jesus Calero. Editing by Emma Pinedo and Charlie Devereux)