62,000 poultry were euthanized on a large farm in the municipality of Petrovo where bird flu was confirmed, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republika Srpska said today.
Assistant Minister of Veterinary Medicine Negoslav Lukić said that there is no room for panic, that the competent services are on the ground and are undertaking procedures defined by law.
“The circulation of poultry and products from the farm is prohibited,” Lukić said.
He stated that monitoring will be carried out on all farms in the infected and threatened area with a diameter of 10 kilometers.
The Mayor of Petrovo Municipality Ozren Petković ordered that all owners of poultry from the area infected with bird flu must report to the competent veterinary organization in order to determine the number of cases, possible deaths or suspicions of this disease, the Municipal Administration of Petrovo announced.
These are the inhabited places of Karanovac and Sočkovac.
The order states that all poultry and other birds kept in captivity must be in closed facilities on their own farm.
“If this is not possible or the welfare of the animals is at risk, they must be confined to another place on the same farm, without contact with other poultry or birds from other farms,” the announcement states, noting that contact with wild birds must be kept to a minimum.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republika Srpska issued a decision dated February 25 in order to prevent the occurrence and spread of the avian influenza disease in the infected area.
The settlements of Kakmuž, Kaluđerica and Petrovo have been determined for the threatened areas, and for the city of Doboj the settlements of Brezici, Gornja Paklenica, Donji Rakovac, Osojnica, Striježevica, Suvo Polje and Tekućica.
Lukić emphasized that bird flu is a disease of poultry and that the risk to public health is low, and that the meat in circulation is safe.
He appealed to farmers to pay attention to the health status of animals.
