About: bird flu
EU farm ministers agree to bird flu vaccine strategy
EU agriculture ministers agreed in Brussels on Tuesday (24 May) to implement a bird flu vaccine strategy as the bloc struggles with the most violent outbreak in its history. EURACTIV France reports.
France to push EU states to approve avian flu vaccine for poultry
Two vaccines will soon be tested in France in response to the worst avian influenza outbreak Europe has ever faced, French Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie has announced. The aim is for them to be approved for all 27 EU member states. EURACTIV France reports.
France orders massive duck cull to contain bird flu
France yesterday (4 January) ordered a massive cull of ducks in three regions most affected by a severe outbreak of bird flu as it tries to contain the virus which has been spreading quickly over the past month, the agriculture ministry said.
France widens bird flu restrictions to tackle outbreak in southwest
France on Friday (18 December) tightened sanitary measures and restricted movement of poultry across part of the southwest as it tries to contain its first bird flu outbreak in eight years that threatens to hit exports.
EU to adopt emergency measures against Dutch bird flu outbreak
Dutch authorities said on Sunday (16 November) they had found a highly contagious strain of bird flu at a poultry farm in the central Netherlands and set about destroying 150,00 chickens. The European Commission is set to adopt urgent interim protective measures to contain the outbreak, it said.
Lawmakers vote to strengthen response to cross-border health threats
The Parliament on Wednesday (3 July) voted to strengthen legislation on the EU's alert and response system to pandemics. The text introduces an early-warning system, facilitates the joint purchase of vaccines and will make it possible to declare an EU-wide emergency in the event of a crisis.
Swine flu alert issued as first cases reported in Europe
While confirmed cases of swine flu have sparked fears of a worldwide pandemic, the World Health Organisation voted to raise its alert level, but did not think it appropriate to impose travel bans.
EU authorises first bird flu vaccine for humans
The first pre-pandemic vaccine for avian influenza is expected to provide intermediary protection against the deadly H5N1 virus strain until a final vaccine becomes available to health services.
EU not fully prepared for influenza pandemic
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) estimates that three years of sustained effort from member states and the EU are still required in order to achieve a good level of preparedness to respond to a pandemic. Preparing individual doctors, schools and hospitals is identified as the hardest nut to crack.
Germany culls 165,000 ducks to stop bird-flu outbreak
German authorities have slaughtered a duck flock after the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 was diagnosed on a duck-fattening farm in Bavaria.
Bird flu reappears in western Europe
As the highly pathogenic form of avian influenza virus H5N1 has been confirmed in three EU countries over the last three weeks, member states are raising their alert levels and starting to apply measures to protect poultry.Avian influenza
The highly pathogenic avian flu strain H5N1 has ravaged poultry populations in many parts of Asia and killed over 60 people in Southeast Asia since 2003. Even before it reached in Europe in October 2005 the Commission together with the member states had joined the worldwide race against time to combat the disease that may well trigger the first pandemic of the 21 century.Europe not prepared for influenza pandemic, experts warn
Member states need to continue efforts for a further two or three years to be prepared for an EU-wide influenza breakout, a report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned.EU on alert after bird-flu outbreak
The Commission has urged member states to tighten protection measures, following an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in a farm in Suffolk. At the same time, it protested import bans on UK poultry put in place by countries such as Japan and Russia.