February 26, 2026

Israel sees second bird flu outbreak as disease strikes turkeys in northern region

The Agriculture Ministry of Israel announced the season's second outbreak of bird flu in commercial coops, this time in a flock of 8,000 turkeys in Moshav Nahalal in northern Israel.

The first outbreak was in early January at a duck breeding facility at Sadeh Yaakov, located just five kilometers (three miles) from Nahalal.

Last year, there were four such outbreaks in Nahalal, out of a total of 16 across the country. There were three in Kibbutz Tzora near Jerusalem, and two each at Kibbutz Ma'ayan Zvi and Kfar Vitkin in central Israel

As usual, the ministry has established a 10-kilometer (six-mile) quarantine zone around the infected area at Nahalal and calls on owners of ornamental birds, backyard poultry, and free-range coops to protect their birds by keeping them inside.

For consumers, it emphasises the importance of buying poultry, meat, and eggs only from regulated retail and marketing points, and thoroughly cooking eggs and poultry.

- The Times of Israel