Bird Flu Fear Hits the Netherlands

The Netherlands imposed a ban on poultry transport on Saturday after officials discovered that a farm in the middle of the country was plagued with the infamous bird flu virus. "This highly pathogenic variant of avian influenza is very dangerous for bird life. The disease can be transmitted from animals to humans,” the Dutch government said in a statement. For 72 hours, farms in the Netherlands can not transport any poultry-related products, including birds, eggs, and used straw. A ban on all kinds of hunting has also been issued. The virus was identified at a poultry farm in the village of Hekendorp, which has some 15,000 hens. Dutch authorities are “currently destroying the birds,” according to Reuters.