The highly contagious disease can also spread indirectly via people, poultry products or egg cartons. The authorities are now setting up a protection zone around the company.
Newcastle disease is highly contagious to chickens (stock image)
dba.
Newcastle disease has broken out at a poultry farm in Develier near Delémont. Typical symptoms in the affected chickens are that they lay fewer eggs, none at all, discolored eggs or eggs with too thin a shell. The disease, caused by a virus, also occurs in wild birds, is highly contagious and is transmitted through the air or through direct contact. It can also spread indirectly via people, poultry products or egg cartons.
In order to limit the disease, around 15,000 laying hens on the farm are killed by order of the authorities. The veterinary authorities also set up a protection zone of around three kilometers and a surveillance zone of around ten kilometers around the farm. Special regulations apply to poultry farms in these areas.
As reported by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO, conjunctivitis can occur in rare cases in people who have had direct and very close contact with sick animals. However, the consumption of poultry meat or eggs is harmless.