#19,036
While we wait for more details on the (now 5) dairy cows with antibodies to HPAI H5N1 in the Netherlands, over the past week the Netherland's National Government website (Rijksoverheid.nl) has reported a number of other outbreaks, including the following of an outbreak in a pet store in Wadenoijen:
Bird flu detected in Wadenoijen
News item | January 30, 2026 | 1:31 PM
In Wadenoijen (municipality of Tiel, province of Gelderland), avian influenza has been detected at a pet trade involving approximately 325 birds and several other mammals. To prevent the spread of the virus, the infected animals are being culled at the site by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
A large number of bird species are kept at the site. European regulations allow for an exception to the requirement to cull all birds at an infected site if the birds in question are of high genetic, cultural, or educational value, or if animals are kept that are threatened with extinction. Culling all the birds present would be disproportionate in this case. Therefore, careful consideration is given to which animals are and are not culled. Birds that are not culled are kept separately and retested at a later date.
A restricted zone will be established around the infected location. Within the entire 10-km restricted zone around the infected location are 10 commercial poultry farms. Several of these farms are also located in the restricted zone around Kesteren (January 2026).
Transport ban
A transport ban applies immediately within the entire 10-kilometre zone.
This means that no birds, hatching eggs, or eggs for consumption may be transported from bird-keeping locations in this zone. The disposal of bird manure and used litter is also prohibited. These measures are necessary to prevent the spread to other parts of the country. Animals other than birds and their products may be transported to and from bird-keeping locations, provided that this is done in accordance with the strict hygiene protocol .
Earlier this week (Jan 26th) the Netherlands reported an outbreak at a petting zoo in Alphen aan den Rijn.
Bird flu detected in Alphen aan den RijnAlso on January 26th, the Netherlands announced the culling of 70,000 broilers at a farm in Bornerbroek, while on the 25th they announced the culling of 44,000 breeding hens in Kesteren.
News item | January 26, 2026 | 4:06 PM
In Alphen aan den Rijn (province of South Holland), bird flu has been confirmed at a petting zoo with 73 birds. To prevent the spread of the virus, the infected birds are being culled from the site by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
A variety of birds are present at the site. Under European regulations, it is possible to deviate from the requirement to cull all birds at an infected site if they are birds of high genetic, cultural, or educational value. Twenty-six chickens of a rare breed are present; they will not be culled. These chickens are housed separately and will be retested at a later date. Culling all the birds present would be disproportionate in this case.
There are no poultry farms within the 1-km and 3-km restricted zones around this infected location. There are two commercial poultry farms within the 10-km restricted zone.
The Netherlands, like much of the rest of the world, is seeing a robust 2025-2026 avian flu season. So much so, that it has become impractical to try to blog on every outbreak.
You can find a partial list of outbreak in the Netherlands since October at the following Wageningen University Research webpage.
