Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Confirmed in Balen, Belgium; 10km Isolation Zone Imposed

Belgium's food safety agency confirmed a highly contagious and deadly avian influenza variant at a hobby farm in Balen, prompting a 10km isolation order for commercial poultry farmers. The number of affected birds is unconfirmed, and the variant's specific strain is not yet identified. This is a localized outbreak but raises concerns for regional poultry trade and biosecurity.