Dutch authorities confirm highly infectious H5N8 bird flu

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Dutch authorities on Monday (Dec 1) ordered the cull of 50,000 poultry after a bird flu outbreak on a nearby farm was confirmed as the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain.

The precautionary move came after authorities on Sunday identified bird flu at a poultry farm at Zoeterwoude outside The Hague, where 28,000 birds needed to be culled.

Two other farms within a 10-kilometre radius have been given the all clear, and another farm is under investigation, the ministry said.

The highly-infectious H5N8 strain of bird flu was discovered in the Netherlands two weeks ago, where authorities suspect it might have been brought in by birds migrating from Asia.

Some strains of avian influenza are fatal for birds, and pose a health threat to humans, who can fall sick after handling infected poultry.

Dutch authorities have said human infection can only occur following "intense and direct contact" with infected birds.

Bird flu has been detected in at least three other locations in the Netherlands.

Germany and Britain have also reported similar strains of the virus.