Newcastle disease returns to Hungary, affecting 220,000 chickens

The National Food Chain Safety Office (Nébih) has confirmed the presence of the Newcastle disease virus in two broiler chicken populations in Bács-Kiskun county, specifically near Fülöpháza. This marks the first occurrence of the highly contagious virus in Hungary in decades.

The affected farms house approximately 220,000 broiler chickens. Symptoms that alerted authorities included increased mortality rates, decreased feed and water consumption, and green diarrhea.

National Chief Veterinarian Dr. Imre Nemes has ordered the culling of the affected flocks and the implementation of necessary epidemiological measures. Authorities have established a 3-kilometer protection zone and a 10-kilometer surveillance zone around the affected farms. While similar outbreaks have recently been reported in countries such as Poland and Germany, the return of the virus to Hungary represents a significant economic and agricultural concern.