The National Health Directorate and the Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) are closely monitoring the situation in Luxembourg. Despite no reported cases of bird flu in poultry, wild birds, or mammals in 2024, the authorities are prepared to respond if the virus spreads.
The United Nations has assessed the risk of H5N1 to human health as low to moderate. Minister of Health Martine Deprez and Minister of Agriculture Martine Hansen have stated that Luxembourg is ready to act if bird flu spreads to dairy cattle herds in Europe. Surveillance of wild birds and poultry in the Grand Duchy is ongoing.
Preventive screening of dairy herds in Luxembourg is not currently planned, as the H5N1 strain present in the US has not been detected in Europe. Additionally, the US does not export livestock to Luxembourg, eliminating the risk of direct contamination between animals.
These details were provided by the ministers in response to a parliamentary question from MP Jeff Boonen of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV).
