Belgium reports bird flu outbreak on farm near Dutch border

PARIS, Sept 23 (Reuters) – Belgium has reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza on a poultry farm near the border with the Netherlands, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WAHIS) said on Friday.

The outbreak of the disease, commonly called bird flu, occurred on a farm in Sint-Laureins in the province of East Flanders, the Paris-based WAHIS said, citing information from Belgian authorities.

The farm had a flock of 29,919 birds but no details were given on the number of animals infected or slaughtered in the outbreak.

This was the first such case reported in Belgium since late April, WAHIS added in its note.

Belgium’s southern neighbour France has seen a resurgence in cases after experiencing its worst-ever bird flu wave earlier this year.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz and Sybille de La Hamaide; editing by Jason Neely)