Amid reports of bird flu outbreaks in Poland, Lithuania's veterinary authority has assured that no infected meat has reached the Lithuanian market. Still, poultry farms in the country should take additional preventive measures, it said.
Seven outbreaks of bird flu were confirmed in Poland between late December and January 6, forcing to dispose of tens of thousands of birds.
Marius Masiulis, the head of emergency response at the Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service, says all affected Polish farms have been isolated, the birds on these farms have been safely destroyed, and their products have not reached either the domestic or foreign markets.
“We cannot say that the poultry from Poland that has entered our market is unsafe, because we trust the controls of the Polish veterinary authority and we have enhanced our controls, too,” he told BNS.
However, Lithuanian farms are at risk of infection, because the virus can be transmitted by wild birds, the official warned.
Next week, the European Commission is likely to impose additional measures to prevent the spread of the infection, he said.
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