In Taiwan, several new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been reported in the last week, leading the government to impose a temporary ban on the transport and slaughter of poultry across the Republic. Other recent cases in poultry have been reported in Iran, Israel, Nigeria and Cameroon.
Taiwan imposes a ban on poultry transport, slaughter
In a previous report, the agriculture ministry in Taipei reported the first detection in Taiwan of an HPAI virus of the H5N6 subtype in a dead goose. According to the latest ministry’s latest report to World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the same virus has been detected in a flock of almost 3,800 ducks at the same location – the town of Yuli in Hualien county. All the birds were humanely destroyed. Some of the flock also tested positive for the H5N2 HPAI virus.
According to the latest update from Focus Taiwan, there have been five outbreaks of H5N6 HPAI in poultry in recent days, bringing the total this month so far to 17. According to the Council of Agriculture, more than 188,000 poultry at 28 farms have been culled so far, and a seven-day ban on the transportation and slaughter of poultry has been put in place to contain the spread of the disease.
Iran, Israel report multiple HPAI outbreaks
In November 2016, animal health authorities in Israel and Iran reported the first outbreaks of HPAI caused by the H5N8 virus.
According to the latest reports from those agencies to the OIE, new cases have continued. During January 2017, there were 16 outbreaks in Iran, affecting more than 226,000 poultry, more than 20,000 of which died, and the rest have been destroyed. The 12 outbreaks in poultry – which occurred at seven farms and in five backyard flocks – affected breeding chickens, layers, turkeys, partridges and an ostrich flock in four clusters in the north and central parts of the country. Forty wild birds also tested positive for the virus.
Over a three-week period from the last week of January, the authorities in Israel confirmed six outbreaks of HPAI to the OIE. These included five farms with growing turkeys, laying hens or breeding ducks. In total, more than 99,000 poultry died or were destroyed as a result of the disease. Three owls found dead at a reserve also tested positive for the H5N8 HPAI virus.
Africa: Nigeria, Cameroon each report one new HPAI outbreak
Nigeria’s veterinary authority has reported to OIE just one new outbreak of HPAI in poultry in the last week. It involved a flock of around 3,000 pullets and layers in the central state of Plateau, and the H5N1 virus was detected.
In the Central African state of Cameroon, one new outbreak of HPAI linked to the H5N8 virus has been reported to the OIE. It started in the first week in January in the Extreme North region, and led to the loss of 24 village poultry and 107 Indian peafowl, almost all of which died as a result of the infection.
