Germany: Ministry warns of Newcastle disease. First outbreaks in 30 years

The Ministry of Economy, Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry of Saxony-Anhalt has issued an official warning about the spread of Newcastle disease, after virus outbreaks were recorded in Brandenburg and Bavaria. The decision to alert breeders was made on March 10, 2026, in the face of increasing risk of pathogen transmission to further regions of Germany. The ministry emphasized that the disease is often fatal for birds and spreads at lightning speed, threatening the stability of local farms. Veterinary services in Saxony-Anhalt have intensified controls, focusing particularly on smaller flocks which may be more susceptible to lapses in sanitary protection. Newcastle disease is one of the most serious infectious poultry diseases worldwide, subject to mandatory reporting to relevant veterinary services. For decades, Germany managed to maintain its status as a country free of this virus in industrial farming thanks to rigorous prophylactic programs. The last major occurrence of the pathogen in German farms took place in the mid-1990s, which forced the introduction of strict regulations concerning protective vaccinations.

The situation became critical at the end of February 2026, when the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) confirmed the first case of avian paramyxovirus in Germany in 30 years. The detection of the virus after such a long break put medical services across the country on alert, and current reports from neighboring states confirm that the threat is not incidental. The government of Saxony-Anhalt, led since January 2026 by Minister-President Sven Schulze, has called on all poultry owners to strictly adhere to biosecurity rules. A key element of flock protection is avoiding any contact between farmed animals and wild birds, which are the main vector for transmitting the virus in the natural environment. 30 (years) — time since the last disease outbreak in Germany

Authorities remind that in Germany there is a statutory requirement to vaccinate poultry against Newcastle disease, and failure to fulfill this obligation can result in severe penalties and a lack of compensation in case a flock must be culled. Breeders have been instructed to pay close attention to the condition of their animals and to immediately report any worrying symptoms to district veterinarians. Typical symptoms of infection include sudden weakness of birds, a drastic drop in egg production, diarrhea, and noticeable breathing problems. Strengthening precautionary measures aims to prevent a scenario where mass culling of animals would be necessary, which would entail severe economic losses for the agricultural sector. Development of the epidemiological situation in 2026: end of February — First case; early March — Expansion of range; March 10 — Alert in Saxony-Anhalt