Czech Republic to cull 230,000 hens amid bird flu outbreak

Affected farms and safety measures

The affected farm is located in the village of Kosicky, approximately 80 kilometres (50 miles) east of Prague. Last week, authorities had also detected bird flu at a duck farm in the area, which housed 6,800 birds.

The SVS confirmed in a statement: “In line with valid legislation, all the poultry… will be culled.” Safety zones will be established within a ten-kilometre radius of the farm, restricting poultry movement and banning bird exhibitions to prevent further spread.

H5N1 strain and public health concerns

The infected birds carry the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, which is potentially transmissible to humans, raising public health concerns.

Impact on Prague Zoo

Prague Zoo, which breeds 1,700 birds across 265 species, has also been affected, with more than 30 birds dying from bird flu since the beginning of the year. Due to a legislative exception, the zoo is not required to cull its remaining birds but has implemented precautionary measures, including restricting access to affected areas and increasing monitoring of its bird population.