A significant outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed at a poultry farm in Torsås municipality, leading to the culling of approximately 48,000 birds. According to the Swedish Board of Agriculture, the virus was detected on Thursday, prompting immediate action to prevent further spread to nearby farms. The affected birds are parent animals bred to produce eggs that become slaughter chickens.
To contain the outbreak, the Board of Agriculture has established protection zones around the quarantined farm with special restrictions on transport and animal husbandry. Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral disease that primarily affects birds and circulates annually among wild birds in Sweden and Europe. While some virus variants can rarely infect humans, no cases of human transmission have been reported in Sweden.
Authorities advise against feeding wild birds near poultry farms to limit transmission risks.