5 cases of bird flu in wild birds have raised alarms in the Spanish poultry industry

In Catalonia, stricter biosecurity measures have been announced as the birdlife has already affected the sector in other parts of Europe.

Catalonia has stepped up surveillance and protection against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), H5N1, following the confirmation of the virus in five wild birds living in Lleida. Last month, 4 swans and a stork were found dead in the area. Laboratory results confirming infection with the H5N1 virus.

There have been no outbreaks of avian flu in Spain over the past few years and the country still has the status of "avian flu free" and can freely EXPORT poultry and poultry products to third markets. However, the virus is now present in poultry farms in Portugal and France and threatens to spread to Spain. The country has taken stricter measures, including a ban on hunting wild geese or ducks, isolating birds in poultry farms, and protecting water tanks on these farms from being accessible to wild birds.

As for Catalonia, a resolution is being prepared in which biosecurity measures are extrapolated to all municipalities of Catalonia, outside the risk areas. This resolution, which will be signed in the coming days, will be valid from the day after publication until April 20, since it is during this period that the risk is highest due to the greater influx of migratory birds from the north of Europe.