New Dutch H5N1 bird flu outbreak will see 190,000 chickens culled

Bird flu is often carried by wild birds

Avian influenza has been spreading quickly in Europe (Getty Images)

Around 190,000 chickens on two neighbouring farms in the east of the Netherlands will be culled after the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus was detected on one of the farms, Dutch health authorities have said.

It is the second bird flu outbreak reported in the Netherlands this week, after a similar discovery in the northern province of Friesland.

The outbreak in Friesland led to the culling of around 225,000 chickens.

Avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, is often carried by wild birds in the autumn and winter.

It has been spreading quickly in Europe in recent months, putting the industry on alert after previous outbreaks led to the culling of tens of millions of birds.

Reuters