Index Anillo Verde de Vitoria-Gasteiz

10/18/06 - Avian flu outbreak in Salburua has finished

Last July 7th the first case of avian flu in Sapin was discovered in Salburua, after a crested grebe being found dead affected by this illness. The investigation confirmed that the virus was of type H5N1, so the authorities started the measures of the current veterinarian protocols so that new deaths could be detected and the illness didn´t spread.

These measures have increased the intensity of monitoring and control works of wild birds carried out in Salburua since 2005, when the first cases were detected in Europe. Regarding domestic birds, all the birds living around the wetland and their trade were object of several control standards.

These measures were applied for a month and no more dead birds were found, so the outbreak was declared extinguished in August 7th. However, monitoring works didn´t finish, and Salburua is object of periodic controls, as the Provincial Government of Alava has declared this wetland as a "special risk zone". Anyway, if the visitors of the Green Belt find a dead bird, they shouldn´t touch it and should call the authorities inmediately.