Photo Credit – FAO
# 9590
The past few hours has seen several dozen reports of an unidentified `bird flu’ outbreak at a poultry farm in the northern Israeli city of Hadera. So far I’ve not found anything posted on Israel’s MOAG (Ministry of Agriculture) website, however this is Shabbat and those offices are likely closed today.
Israel has seen outbreaks of H5N1 previously, with their last OIE filing in March of 2012, when roughly 40,000 birds were destroyed in Hadarom Province.
Somewhat infamously, a number of cats were also found to be infected after they dined on the carcasses of infected turkeys (see Israel: Cats Infected With H5N1).
Given its previous bird flu history, and Israel’s proximity to Egypt which is seeing a major H5N1 resurgence, the first assumption is this is likely H5N1. But with recent expansion of H5N8 into Europe and North America, and a growing list of other avian flu subtypes spreading across China, we can’t be sure of anything until the lab reports come in.
Typical of the coverage is this report from the Maan News Agency.
The extermination of 100 thousand chickens in northern Israel because of an outbreak of bird flu
Published today (updated) 01/17/2015 15:47 pm
Bethlehem - together - decided to Israeli agriculture today, "Saturday," the execution of more than 100 thousand chickens at a farm near the city of Hadera in northern Israel because of the outbreak of the presence of bird flu virus. According to the sources, the Israeli agriculture complained during the past few days the owners of chicken farms of deaths is understandable decided Agriculture subjecting dead birds for laboratory tests have proven results and the presence of bird flu virus. Israeli agriculture and estimated material losses of the poultry farmers tens of millions of shekels in crews and the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry is still protecting the environment present in place, will also be vaccinated farmers and people who were in contact with the infected birds.
