BRUSSELS 

Belgium is facing a surge in avian influenza cases, with the H5 strain recently detected in the provinces of Limburg and Namur, the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) said Monday.

A poultry farm in La Bruyere, Namur, tested positive for the H5 subtype, marking the second confirmed outbreak in the province, Belga news agency reported.

In Limburg, three poultry farms have also reported infections in recent days.

In all affected sites, flocks are being culled as authorities establish 3-kilometer (1.8-mile) protection zones and 10-km (6.2-mi) surveillance zones surrounding the affected areas, with specific control measures implemented for each area.

Agriculture Minister David Clarinval reinstated the mandatory housing of poultry for both professional and registered hobby keepers.

The Natuurhulpcentrum wildlife rescue center in Limburg reported a rise in call-outs, responding to around 10 cases per day as the virus spreads across the province.

In the US state of Washington, the H5N5 subtype has claimed the life of an elderly man with underlying health conditions.

This represents the second confirmed human fatality from avian influenza in the US this year, after another elderly patient with pre-existing conditions died in January.