A case of bird flu was recorded in Gradiska, Bosnia’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity Agriculture and Forestry Ministry said Tuesday, adding that it is most likely an isolated case.

“Given that the data on the ground indicate that this is the only case in the RS, we believe that it is a bird from a flock in transit, ie that it has not stayed in our region,” the Ministry said, adding that they will continue to regularly monitor the situation since bird flu is a disease that can be transmitted from an infected animal to humans.

In that sense, the infected area is considered to be an area of at least three kilometres in radius, and the endangered area is considered to be a circle of at least 10 kilometres in radius from the hotspot, ie the location where the dead bird was found.

The main preventive measures taken are the implementation of active and passive surveillance, meaning control of poultry health in potentially hazardous areas near water areas with wild birds, confinement of poultry in facilities, prevention of direct and indirect contact between wild birds and poultry and raising biosecurity and hygiene measures on farms.

During the duration of the measures, it is obligatory to lock domestic poultry and birds in the facilities on the farm, and it is forbidden to hold fairs of poultry and ornamental birds, as well as trade in poultry, eggs, meat and offal from poultry from the infected area.