The Confederation remains vigilant in the face of avian flu

Poultry farmers are being urged to be vigilant and to report any symptoms of illness or death.

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The Swiss government is closely monitoring the situation following the recent outbreak of a major wave of highly pathogenic avian influenza,
commonly called bird flu, in neighbouring Germany. With the arrival of migratory birds, it is to be expected that cases will re-emerge in Switzerland.

This content was published on

October 24, 2025 – 10:51

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If the evolution requires, the Federal Office of Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (FOSV) will issue protective measures for domestic poultry in collaboration with the cantons, the office told Keystone-ATS news agency on Friday.

The aim is to prevent contact between wild birds and domestic poultry.

Poultry farmers are being urged to be vigilant and to report any symptoms of illness or death.

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In Germany, cases of avian flu were detected on Thursday evening in the Land of Baden-Württemberg, which borders Switzerland. According to estimates by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), the spread of bird flu among cranes has reached a hitherto unknown level in Germany.

Belgium has also ordered that all poultry be kept indoors from Thursday following the detection of a bird flu outbreak.

Neighbouring France took a similar decision to Belgium on Tuesday and the Netherlands last week.

Translated from German by DeepL/sb

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