Newcastle found in Denmark

An outbreak of Newcastle disease, a highly contagious poultry virus, has been reported in Denmark. The country's agricultural authorities said that the virus has been discovered in a flock of 5,000 wild ducks.

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said in a statement that it expected that the birds, which were found dead on the island of Moen, have not infected any other wildlife.

The birds displayed the symptoms of two different viruses - Duck virus enteritis, which is harmless to other poultry, and Paramyxovirus type 1, which can cause Newcastle Disease among poultry. Authorities said that the flock died from the Duck virus.

Last year's outbreak of Newcastle Disease cost Denmark's poultry industry around 200 million Danish crowns, and the industry is gearing up to protect itself again. Danish agricultural authorities are already planning a strategy of vaccination to combat the disease.