Since last weekend, the DWHC has been receiving reports of increased mortality and abnormal behavior among wild birds in the north of the Netherlands. The birds are exhibiting behavior that resembles an infection with bird flu, namely turning their heads in a circle-like motion. The reports are mostly of young
Last night, avian influenza was confirmed at a broiler breeder farm in Gasselternijveenschemond, Drenthe. To prevent the spread of the avian influenza virus, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) is culling 71,000 animals and establishing Read more
On September 18, 2025, an outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) was reported in Rhône, France. This is the first case in this department. The number of LSD infections in France now stands at 79. The disease has previously been found in the departments of l’Ain (2), Savoie (32), Haute-Savoie (44), and now also in
Between March 2024 and April 2025, hunters, wildlife managers, and game coordinators could submit blood samples from roe deer to the Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC). The blood samples were collected for research by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) into areas where the
The annual report, which covers all DWHC activities in 2024, is now available (in Dutch). It extensively discusses the monitoring and surveillance of diseases in wildlife in the Netherlands, knowledge development, and
Strong One Health is a project of a European partnership which the DWHC is a part of. One Health is based on the principle that the health of humans, animals, and the environment is closely linked, and collaboration between experts in various fields is essential. The partnership investigates zoonoses, pathogens
In the first half of 2025, a total of 13 Common Kestrels and Peregrine Falcons, our focus species, were reported to the DWHC. Of these, six— all Common Kestrels— were sent to Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) to be tested for avian influenza. In addition, one Common Kestrel and one Peregrine Falcon were
To the relief of many, reports of bird flu among wild birds in the Netherlands remained relatively low this past spring. Although the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus had not completely disappeared, increased mortality from this virus did not occur among the colony-breeding gulls and terns that had been severely
On June 14th, the German authorities confirmed an African swine fever infection. African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable disease caused by the ASF virus, which can cause serious illness in pigs. Last weekend, an ASF-infected dead wild boar was found approximately 150 km from the Dutch border, close to the
