Morgunbladid reports today that Iceland has raised its level of preparedness from Stage I to Stage II after the birdflu virus H5N1 was detected in a dead swan in Scotland earlier this week.
According to the chief veterinarian, Halldór Runólfsson, his office has given instructions to farmers to keep their birds indoors and take measures to prevent them from interacting with wild birds.
“Most large farms already keep their birds indoors, and we are main targeting smaller farms,” said Halldór to Morgunbladid.
The chief vet’s office’s instructions include specific measures concerning how to close off ventilation shafts, windows and other openings of buildings where farmed birds are kept. They also include instructions to notify the chief vet’s office if two are more wild birds are found dead in the same area.
