Berlin, 3 September 2025 – Germany has reported an H5N1 outbreak on a farm in the north of the country. The virus was detected on Monday 1 September in a flock of 2,800 laying hens in the locality of Schenefeld. The incident resulted in the death of 100 birds, with the remaining 2,700 hens culled to contain the spread. Germany had been declared free of H5N1 HPAI since December 2024.
The outbreak, reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on Wednesday 3 September via its WAHIS alert network, places this case in the north of the country, near the border with Denmark.
WOAH has noted that Europe as a whole is facing a seasonal resurgence of this deadly disease. The spread of avian influenza has raised concern among governments and the poultry industry due to its recent track record of devastating poultry farms and wild birds worldwide, disrupting supply chains, driving up food prices and increasing the risk of transmission to humans.
German authorities have implemented stringent control measures, including mass culling of birds and surveillance of the affected areas, while the source of the infections is under investigation.
For further information:
-. WOAH alert network
-. WOAH report of 3 September 2025 on the avian influenza outbreak in Germany