Lithuania hit by largest bird flu outbreak

A similar statement was made by the Latvian Food and Veterinary Department. In 2024 , Latvian veterinary specialists tested 70 wild birds for highly pathogenic avian influenza , and only one of them was positive.

Polish trace

it is believed that bird flu entered Lithuania from neighboring Poland, which is struggling with the disease, Vaidotas Kūdulas, chief veterinarian of the Lithuanian Food and Veterinary Service, said at a press conference in Vilnius .

Since the beginning of the year, 14 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have been officially registered in Poland. As of the end of January, about 16,000 poultry had been culled to contain the spread of the disease.

However, according to Küdulas, other scenarios for the penetration of bird flu into the country cannot be completely ruled out.

The bird is safe

Lithuanian poultry farmers have issued a statement to reassure locals that despite the outbreak, the poultry on shelves is still safe.

Skirmante Sokolovskienė, HEAD of quality control at Vilnius Poultry, a well-known broiler MEAT producer, said the company's Vilnius farm is a closed cycle with strict controls at every stage of the production process.

"This means that the birds are fed only with grain purchased from Lithuanian farmers, the chicks are hatched in their own incubator, and the poultry meat is processed on site," Sokolovskienė said, adding that there is no chance that the contaminated product will end up on store shelves in Lithuania.

Expanding Global Impact

Bird flu is becoming an increasingly pressing issue for poultry farmers worldwide. A recent outbreak in Massachusetts, usa , cost the local poultry industry an estimated US$1.4 billion, and further spread of the disease is predicted to lead to a 20% increase in egg prices in the country by the end of the year.

In the UK, poultry farmers have appealed to the government to allow them to vaccinate their flocks, describing the impact of the virus as "devastating".