An outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu was found on a poultry farm in General Toshevo in the region of Dobrich, said the press office of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency.

Immediate steps were taken to eradicate the outbreak, in compliance with EU laws, including culling some 140,000 birds. A three-kilometre protection zone and a 10-km observation area around the livestock area were set up, and the trade and movement of domestic, wild and other birds, trade in eggs and hatching eggs, the organisation of fairs, markets, exhibitions or other gatherings of poultry or other birds were banned, the agency said.