Laos, Indonesia, Taiwan record new avian flu cases

Reports of new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Laos, Indonesia and Taiwan have emerged over the past week.

Andrea Gantz
Andrea Gantz

Reports of new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Laos, Indonesia and Taiwan have emerged over the past week.

Avian influenza in Laos

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has received notification from the Ministry of Livestock and Forestry in Vientiane, Laos, of a new outbreak of HPAI at a small poultry farm in the central region of Luangprabang. Around 40 chickens died, and the remaining birds were destroyed after the presence of the H5N1 virus variant was confirmed, so 150 birds have been lost to the virus. The usual control measures have been imposed; vaccination is prohibited, however.

Laos last reported an HPAI outbreak almost exactly one year ago.

Avian influenza in Indonesia

In Indonesia, the death from HPAI has been confirmed of dozens of ducks by the Agriculture and Husbandry Agency in North Sulawesi, according to a report in Jakarta Post last week. To prevent further spread of the virus, a senior official at the Agency ordered the culling of all birds in the immediate area. Samples are currently being tested to confirm the virus subtype but H5N1 has been confirmed in previous outbreaks.

Local people expressed concerns about the outbreak and preventative culling of poultry but officials reassured them this was the best course of action. Disinfectant was been distributed, and people who keep birds have been warned to stay vigilant for signs of the disease.

Avian flu in Taiwan

In its long-running battle against HPAI, Taiwan has suffered a further outbreak caused by the H5N2 virus variant, according to Focus Taiwan. The most recent cases were at a chicken farm in Changhua county in central Taiwan, where abnormally high mortality rates were observed over a few days among the 23,000-bird flock. All the birds there have been culled and the farm has been disinfected.

Director of the region’s Animal Disease Control Center, Tung Meng-chi, warned poultry farmers to be on alert as the seasonal arrival of migratory birds is imminent.

The looming avian flu threat adds to the troubles for Taiwan’s farmers. At the end of September, Typhoon Megi battered the country and caused widespread damage costing at least NT$1.31 billion (US$42 million), as well as at least four deaths and hundreds of injuries, reported Focus Taiwan.

Damage to crops – especially rice – accounted for most of the losses, but the Council of Agriculture put the cost to the livestock sector at a minimum of NT$4.4 million as many ducks, chickens and pigs died as a result of the storms.

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