An epidemiological investigation to reveal the cause of the outbreak is also under way, and a 3km radius observation zone has been demarcated around the farm.

H5N1 has already appeared in the counties of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Csongrád-Csanád; Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg; Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplen, Bács-Kiskun and Hajdú-Bihar.

The mandatory confinement of poultry only applies in high-risk counties, while indoor feeding and drinking, as well as the storage of feed and litter, is required in closed places nationwide, Nébih noted.

Highly Pathogenic Strand of Bird Flu Detected in Hungary

H5N1 bird flu has been identified at a turkey farm in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County, in eastern Hungary, food safety authority Nébih said on Thursday. Protection and surveillance zones have been established around the farm in Tiszakürt and a process is under way to destroy 3,600 turkeys.

The food safety authority Nébih has detected a highly pathogenic strand of bird flu in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Bács-Kiskun counties, in north-east and southern Hungary, respectively, the authority said.

The H5N1 strand was identified in a 6,000-head goose farm in Tiszabábolna, where the authorities have already started to cull the animals.

Earlier: 

Culling started on Tuesday at a duck farm in Petőfiszállás keeping 7,100 animals, the statement said.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has been detected in samples from a duck farm in Tiszadob, in north-eastern Hungary, the national food safety authority (Nébih) said.

Under instructions from the authority, some 51,000 birds at the farm will be culled, while a protective zone within a 3km radius around the farm has been established. 

Animals within a 10 km radius of the farm will be observed, Nébih said.

The authority has also launched an investigation as to the origin of the H5N1 virus detected on the farm. It noted that the low pathogenic H5N2 virus had earlier been detected in southern Hungary.

Earlier: 

A highly pathogenic strand of bird flu, H5N1, was detected at a duck farm in Hajdúnánás, in eastern Hungary, food safety authority Nébih said.

Culling has already started at the farm keeping 22,500 animals, Nébih said.

Nébih has called on farmers to adhere to epidemiological regulations and keep the animals in enclosed spaces in at-risk locations.