On Wednesday, February 15, a meeting of the County Crisis Management Team was held at the Zgorzelec County Office. The reason? Information from the county veterinary officer about the discovery of more dead birds confirmed to have been infected with the H5N8 subtype of avian influenza virus in Zgorzelec County.
One of the dead birds, a cormorant, was found at the mouth of the Miedzianka stream into the Nysa Łużycka (approximately 15 metres from the mouth). The virus's other 20 victims were hens found on a farm keeping them in a backyard flock in the village of Tylice.
Officials are appealing to residents of Zgorzelec County to strictly comply with the provisions of the regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development dated December 20, 2016. (This includes the obligation to report birds kept in backyard flocks, regardless of their number, including pigeons and ornamental birds, to the Veterinary Inspection in Zgorzelec. People who fail to do so may face a financial penalty of up to PLN 10,000).
– We remind you that the H5N8 subtype of avian influenza virus is not dangerous to human life or health, but it often causes substantial economic losses for poultry farmers and the state budget, which pays them compensation for the losses they have incurred – county officials say.