27 October 2026
A commercial laying hen farm in the northern Netherlands has tested positive for avian influenza, marking the first confirmed case in Dutch commercial poultry during the 2026–2027 autumn-winter surveillance season.
The outbreak occurred at a facility in the village of Lutjegast, in the municipality of Westerkwartier, Groningen province. The diagnosis was confirmed by the national reference laboratory, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR), following clinical suspicion and preliminary laboratory testing.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) initiated stamping-out procedures, resulting in the culling of approximately 45,000 laying hens at the affected farm.
The most recent avian influenza outbreak in the Netherlands was reported in July 2026, when the virus was detected at a hobby poultry farm in Zuid-Holland province.
