As of: February 13, 2024, 1:14 p.m
By: Michelle Brey
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The zoo in Cologne is not open to visitors.
The background is a positive avian flu result.
The timing of a reopening is unknown.
Cologne – “Zoo currently closed due to positive avian flu findings,” says the Cologne Zoo website.
According to
WDR,
two wild turkeys died of bird flu.
The examination of the carcasses provided the findings.
Some questions remain unanswered for now.
Bird flu recently broke out in Dillingen.
Latin name for bird flu |
Avian influenza |
|---|---|
Viruses |
Influenza A |
illness |
In birds |
transmission |
possible on humans |
Cologne Zoo closed due to bird flu - period initially unclear
It is not currently known how long the Cologne Zoo will be closed to visitors.
The zoo only briefly and succinctly provided information on the website: “The regulation applies immediately, we will inform you as soon as we have more information about the reopening.” A positive avian flu result was also confirmed.
Bird flu: what exactly is it?
As the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) informs, bird flu is “primarily a disease caused by influenza A viruses in birds”.
It is an “infectious disease that has its natural reservoir host in wild water birds,” according to the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI; Federal Research Institute for Animal Health).
Bird flu is referred to as avian influenza when the viruses mutate into a highly pathogenic form.
A view of the rainforest house at the zoo.
The zoo had to be closed due to cases of bird flu.
© Thomas Banneyer/dpa
The closure was carried out in close consultation with the veterinary office in Cologne,
WDR
quoted an employee as saying.
On Monday afternoon (February 12th), keepers are said to have brought animals that could become infected to safety.
The number of potentially endangered animals is not initially known.
A request from
IPPEN.MEDIA
initially went unanswered.
Bird flu recently reached the Galapagos Islands.
The unique wildlife there is in danger – and experts are alarmed.
Interesting facts about bird flu: subtypes and variants
When it comes to bird flu, a general distinction is made between low-pathogenic and highly pathogenic variants.
Low pathogenic means that the viruses cause hardly any or only mild symptoms of the disease, the FLI informs.
There are also different subtypes: H1 to H16 in combination with N1 to N9.
The “H” stands for hemagglutinin, the “N” for neuraminidase.
Both are proteins that are found on the shell of the influenza virus.
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How dangerous is bird flu for humans?
A question that inevitably arises when bird flu cases arise is: What danger does it pose to humans?
The RKI provides the answer.
The viruses can also cause illnesses in people.
However, it goes on to say: “Avian influenza viruses cannot be transmitted easily from animals to humans.
However, when such an infection occurs, the illness can sometimes be very severe.
There are currently no known cases of bird flu in humans in Germany.
(mbr)