Avian flu H5N4 has been detected in just a buzzard and a gull in Switzerland so far this year.
Keystone / Patrick Pleul
The threat of avian flu infecting Swiss poultry has receded to the point that precautionary measures can be lifted along parts of the border with Germany.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/mga
The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) declared the risk to be minimal on Thursday, citing just two positive cases in the country this year.
In January, farmers around Lake Constance and stretches of the Rhine in north-eastern Switzerland were told to keep poultry indoors or under netting to avoid contact with wild birds during the winter migration season.
Just two cases of H5N4 bird flu were discovered in February, in a gull and a buzzard.
“Studies show that the bird flu virus is currently not spreading any further in Switzerland or neighbouring countries. However, the situation is still being closely monitored,” read an FSVO statement.
Last year, the Swiss authorities issued a red alert following the discovery of several cases in Europe. Measures were also put into place in 2016 when around 80 dead birds were found in the Lake Constance region.
This type of bird flu virus is not thought to spread from animals to humans, but people have been warned not to touch dead birds as a precaution.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Rhine could warm by up to 4°C by 2100, scientists warn
This content was published on
The water temperature of the Rhine River could rise by up to 4.2° degrees Celsius by the end of the century due to the warming planet, scientists warn.
This content was published on
The Federal Council wants to explore the possibilities of joining the European Union’s €800-billion rearmament programme without compromising Swiss neutrality.
Defence Minister Pfister stresses importance of Swiss mission in Balkans
This content was published on
During a visit to the Balkans region last week, Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister met Swisscoy peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.
Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day
This content was published on
On July 14, the Swiss Air Force will take part in the traditional air parade in Paris to mark the French bank holidays with an F/A-18 fighter jet. This is a first for Switzerland.
Swiss launch competition for memorial to Nazi victims
This content was published on
The victims of Nazi Germany are to be commemorated on the Casinoterrasse in Bern. A competition will be held to determine what the site will look like.
This content was published on
The cantonal police of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland have arrested and convicted five cocaine dealers in Chur within a week.
This content was published on
The Swiss business umbrella organisation Economiesuisse and the employers' association broadly support the package of agreements negotiated with the European Union.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
First bird flu case spotted in Switzerland this winter
This content was published on
The bird flu virus has been detected in a seagull in the northeastern Swiss canton of Schaffhausen, near the German border.
This content was published on
Millions of wild birds fly over Swiss territory during the autumn migration period and it is feared that some of them could be carriers of the deadly virus. The detection of bird flu in Russia has prompted European nations to step up preventive measures. The Netherlands has already instructed farmers to keep poultry indoors. A…
This content was published on
The Federal Veterinary Office said on Friday that these zones were considered to be the most at risk from the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus, of which there have been recent cases in neighbouring countries. From October 15 a one-kilometre zone around Switzerland’s largest lakes, such as Lake Constance and Lake Geneva, will be…
This content was published on
As veterinary experts know, it’s not a question of if the next big disease outbreak happens but when, something that the new Swiss animal health strategy aims to address. Although Switzerland is widely regarded as a best practice example in the area of animal health, global developments make vigilance essential. On Tuesday the Federal Veterinary…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.