Nearly 190,000 chickens are reported to have been culled in the Netherlands after an outbreak of bird flu at two poultry farms in the country.

According to the statement released by the Dutch agriculture ministry, a highly contagious strain of H5 variant was suspected at two poultry farms.

Nearly 100,000 hens were slaughtered by health workers at a poultry farm at Hekendorp outside Gouda, and approximately 90,000 chicks were culled at a poultry farm in Witmarsum, northern Friesland.

The ministry said that there are no other poultry farms located within the 1km radius, and the affected sites have been cleared to restrict the spread of the disease.

Since last month, seasonal bird flu outbreak has been identified at various poultry farms across the country.

It is reported that the migratory birds were one of the main causes of the outbreaks in the region.

Last month, two dead swans were identified with H5N8 variety bird flu strains, after which the Netherlands Agriculture Minister Carola Schouten imposed preventative indoor containment on all commercial poultry farms.

The outbreak has hit the Netherlands, at the time when the country is also witnessing the second wave of Covid-19 virus, which is said to have been infecting nearly 6,000 people a day.

Earlier this month, Japan’s Kagawa prefecture unveiled its plans to cull 330,000 chickens at a poultry farm after an outbreak of bird flu.

Reuters reported that the outbreak was identified in Japan’s poultry sector after more than two years.

Japanese Government officials said that more genetic tests will be performed to verify the intensity pathogenic strain of H5 bird flu. The prefectural government was notified by the poultry farm on Wednesday about a suspected bird flu outbreak.