Dutch officials are destroying 150,000 chickens in an effort to contain an outbreak of bird flu.

The outbreak is the second involving the H5N8 strain of flu in Europe, after it was found at a German farm earlier this month.

Dutch Economic Ministry spokesman said Sunday the strain is “highly pathogenic” in birds, and the government announced a 72-hour ban on the transport of poultry, eggs and manure.

European Commission spokesman Ricardo Cardoso told the Reuters news agency the commission will likely adopt “urgent interim protective measures” Monday involving similar bans on sales of poultry products and eggs.

Meanwhile, British officials say they have confirmed a bird flu case at a duck farm in Yorkshire where birds are also being killed to prevent the disease from spreading.

The strain there has not been identified, but officials said there is low risk to the public or the food chain.

Bird flu viruses normally infect birds and not people, but several types, such as the H5N1 strain, have caused severe respiratory illness in humans. 

Data from the World Health Organization shows H5N1 has killed about 400 people in the past 10 years, while a newer strain called H7N9 has killed 175 others since being discovered last year.

Most of those infected have close contact with infected poultry or things contaminated with their feces.
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