Slovenia has confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu this year.

The National Authority for Food Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection reported on its website that the virus was found in a dead mute swan near Lake Velenje, about 80 km northeast of the capital Ljubljana.

Farmers in the area will be required to keep their poultry indoors to prevent the spread of the virus, it added.

According to the French animal health watchdog ESA, 56 outbreaks of the disease were reported in 11 European countries from August to mid-October, mainly in Poland – the EU's largest poultry producer – but also in Spain and Germany.

Last week, Belgium and Slovakia reported their first cases of bird flu this season.