Poland hit by bird flu outbreak on turkey farms
Bird flu
Birdfluhas been detected inturkeys in easternPoland, authorities said on Wednesday, and local media reported that theoutbreakcould require up to 40,000birds to be slaughtered.
Poland, Europe's largest poultry producer according to data from Eurostat, has not had anoutbreakofbirdflusince 2017.
Andrzej Danielak, president of Polish Association of Breeders and Poultry Producers, said that threefarmsmight be affected, with up to 350,000birds at risk in a three-kilometre radius.
"Veterinary services are implementing virus eradication procedures in this situation," local authorities in Lubartowski county said in a press release issued on Tuesday, adding that the virus was a subtype of highly pathogenic H5N8birdfluthat can also threaten people
The authorities said crisis meetings had been held, while footage from private broadcaster Polsat showed police cars blocking a road in the area.