Pelt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Bird flu spreads rapidly in Limburg, forcing precautionary evacuation of a 2nd Pelt poultry farm. Oudsbergen Wildlife Rescue Centre staff respond up to 10 times daily, straining resources and operations.
As VRT News reported, bird flu is spreading quickly in Limburg and putting pressure on poultry farms and animal shelters. In Pelt, a 2nd farm was evacuated today, Nov 24, 2025, after the virus was confirmed at a neighbouring farm yesterday, Nov 23, 2025. Authorities say the virus is spreading rapidly, and strict hygiene rules are being enforced to stop further infections.
Wouter Wijtinck of the Farmers’ Union said,
“It’s managed by the government, but the funding comes from the sector itself. Poultry farmers pay an annual contribution. A few years ago, we increased those contributions because we already saw the threat of bird flu growing.”
“10 trips per day is about the maximum we can handle.”
Sil Jansen, Oudsbergen Nature Aid Centre
What is causing farm evacuations and daily wildlife calls in Limburg?
According to officials, affected poultry farmers can get financial support from the Sanitary Fund. The fund covers the value of birds that must be culled. Wouter Witinck says it acts as a financial safety net. Compensation is calculated based on the type and age of the birds. However, the money does not cover all costs. Farmers must still pay for cleaning, disinfecting, and other protective measures.
Wiftinck says,
“For a farmer, it doesn’t stop at just the animals. Think of downtime costs, cleaning, restarting… The economic damage quickly mounts.”
The Wildlife Aid Centre is facing a heavy workload as bird flu spreads across Limburg. Sick birds are now reported from almost every corner of the province. Staff are called out about 10 times a day to collect infected birds.
“Bocholt, Maasmechelen, Bilzen-Hoeselt, Hasselt, Hechtel-Eksel… We go everywhere,”
says Sil Jansen of the Centre.
“We try to respond to every call, but 10 trips a day is about the maximum we can handle.”
Officials mentioned that the team must safely catch the birds, transport them to the centre, and provide care. The repeated interventions are putting a significant strain on both the staff and the centre’s resources.
“Staff have to wear protective suits and thoroughly disinfect the vehicle afterwards. Because the risk of infection is increasing, they’re asking hikers to stop bringing in dead or sick birds themselves. We now only do this with trained staff who know the correct safety procedures,”
Jansen explains.
Experts say the risk to humans remains very low. Jansen from the Wildlife Aid Centre stresses that people are unlikely to catch the virus. Staff follow strict safety rules when handling sick birds. They use protective clothing and disinfect all equipment to prevent exposure.
Jansen emphasises,
“But if you’re going for a walk, it’s best to remain cautious: keep dogs on a leash, don’t let them sniff carcasses, and don’t pick up dead animals. The carcasses of other mammals could also be infected.”
3 farms in Pelt, Kinrooi, and Dilsen-Stokkem have already reported cases. On Nov 19, 2025, a highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu outbreak was confirmed at a poultry farm in Dilsen‑Stokkem, Limburg. Authorities immediately imposed tight restrictions, including a 3‑km protection zone and a 10‑km surveillance zone around the site.
The zones drawn around this farm overlap with those from Dilsen‑Stokkem and extend into the Netherlands.
Belgium’s food safety agency (FASFC) had just reinstated stricter biosecurity measures on October 23, 2025, after the country lost its bird-flu–free status following an earlier outbreak on October 22, 2025.
