The Provincial Council of Bizkaia has said that poultry flu seagulls are not "unexpected" and that there is no risk to human health

The head of the Livestock Service of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Iñaki Arrazola, has explained that the detection of seagulls with avian influenza in this territory "is no surprise", since this type of animal is "very sensitive" to this virus and last year there were also cases "on the entire Cantabrian side". He has also recalled that this disease is not a dangerto public health, but to poultry farms.

On Monday, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia detected cases of avian influenza (high-pathogenicity poultry influenza H5N1) in these foot seagulls collected in Santurtzi and Erandio, thanks to the active wildlife surveillance protocols applied by the Gorliz Wildlife Recovery Centre in coordination with the Neiker laboratories and the National Reference Laboratory.

Arrazola explained this Tuesday in an interview with Radio Euskadi that two cases have been found: that of a seagull that was "in bad condition" in Santurtzi and died "the next day" and that of a seagull chick in Erandio. The two animals, according to established protocols, were picked up by the Council's Environmental Care Centre and taken to the recovery centre in Gorliz. They were sampled there and found to have tested positive for high-pathogenicity H5N1 avian flu.

The head of the Foral Livestock Service says that 'it is no surprise' that these cases are detected, since last year 'the entire ledge of the Cantabrian Sea, Galicia, Asturias, Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Cantabria detected this virus in the seagulls', since, he explains, the birds of water are 'very sensitive' to this virus and therefore 'there is no new risk of being carriers'.

Danger to the poultry sector

In any case, it recalls that this virus is not a danger to public health and "in no case is it dangerous to consume eggs, meat or poultry derivatives." However, it warns that it poses a "serious risk" to poultry farms because it is a "highly pathogenic virus that causes high mortality" and forces farms to "empty and die altogether."

The Council has contacted the sector to "firstof all to tighten the confinement and removal measures  or to avoid contact with wildlife ".

Thus, he explained, they must 'pay special attention to their birds', avoid feeding or drinking in food and beverages outside farms, 'so that wild animals cannot be in contact with domestic animals and, in the least suspicious, contact the Council's veterinary services 'to follow up on the matter.