The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has recorded one case of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza virus in Bayad Poultry Farm in Huraymila province, Riyadh.
The ministry's emergency teams safely disposed 35,000 birds in the infected zone today.
Dr. Abdullah Abalkhail, spokesman for the Ministry, stressed that this type of virus does not infect humans, so it poses no human health threat.
Abalkhail called on all poultry farms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to enforce the biosecurity measures in farms, take caution and take protective measures when being in contact with birds showing symptoms, and not to introduce new birds during the current period.
Abalkhail also warned citizens not to hunt migratory and wild birds to protect human health and urged them to report suspected cases of bird flu infections or high death rates by calling the animal resources emergency room on 8002470000.
According to the ministry, all the necessary measurements are taken to limit the spread of the virus as part of its contingency plan for H5N8 bird flu.