Bird flu has been detected in a wild goose in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, the state farming ministry said on Friday, urging poultry farmers to strictly follow biosecurity measures.

The infected goose was found in the Oder-Spree district during routine wildlife disease surveillance. It is Brandenburg's first officially confirmed wild-bird case of the autumn, and the virus is a highly pathogenic form of avian influenza.

The confirmation comes at the peak of the autumn migration season, when wild waterfowl travel south across central Europe towards their wintering grounds. Germany's national animal health institute, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, has raised its risk ratings to high for the virus spreading among wild birds and for entry into poultry holdings.

Authorities have already confirmed outbreaks further north in Germany. Turkey flocks of around 6,000 birds in Aurich and Rostock have been affected, with infected holdings facing whole-flock culling and the setting up of protection and surveillance zones with movement and hygiene controls.

No domestic poultry infections have been reported in Brandenburg so far, and no human infections have been recorded. The Robert Koch Institute says the risk to the general public remains low, a view shared by the World Health Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health.

Poultry keepers, including small backyard owners, have been told to keep birds indoors where required, use protective clothing, clean and disinfect equipment, and limit contact between wild birds and domestic flocks. Officials expect further detections through November as migration continues and colder, wetter weather helps the virus survive longer in the environment.

[Source: duke.fm](https://duke.fm/2026/11/06/bird-flu-detected-in-wild-goose-in-eastern-germany-ministry-says/) | [Source: particle.news](https://particle.news/story/avian-flu-risk-rises-as-first-brandenburg-wildbird-case-is-confirmed)