In Asia, the battle against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues in Taiwan and Vietnam, and the disease returned to Bangladesh earlier this year, according to reports received by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in the last week.
There have also been new outbreaks in Africa in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Taiwan culls more than 100,000 poultry in a week
Earlier this week, Taiwan’s agriculture ministry reported to the OIE 10 new outbreaks of HPAI in poultry caused by the H5N2 virus type. All starting in the last week of March, these latest cases – mostly in native chickens – led to the death or humane destruction of almost 111,000 birds in the counties of Yunlin, Chiayi, Changhua and Nantou, and the cities of Tainan and New Taipei.
The Council of Agriculture has not updated its March 31 figures on the number of HPAI outbreaks so far this year (112) and poultry culled to halt the spread of the disease (over 1.034 million), reports Focus Taiwan. However, since the start of April, the same source has reported that HPAI has been confirmed at five farms and four slaughterhouses. Four of the affected farms are located in Yunlin county, where at least 62 HPAI outbreaks have been confirmed so far this year.
Where virus-positive birds are detected at slaughterhouses, birds and carcasses are destroyed, and activities are suspended for 24 hours for thorough cleaning and disinfection of the premises and surrounding area. Infected birds are traced back to the farm of origin, where further tests are carried out and restrictions put in place.
Avian flu returns to Bangladesh, Vietnam
According to a recent veterinary authority report to the OIE, Bangladesh had been free of avian flu since February of 2016. However, HPAI of an H5 type has been reported in a flock of crows in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka. The majority of the 166 birds were found dead in mid-January.
OIE has received a report from Vietnam’s animal health agency, recording a further outbreak of H5N1 HPAI in a backyard flock in Dak Lak, which is in the central-southern area of the country. The flock of 43 birds died.
Further outbreaks of HPAI Nigeria and Cameroon
Following previous H5N1 outbreaks in the same area, a new report to the OIE from the authorities in Cameroon outlines further cases among a flock of 25,000 12-week-old poultry in Noun in the Ouest district.
In Nigeria, the district of Toro in Bauchi state appears to have become a hot-spot for the same HPAI virus. Over the last week, the country’s animal health agency has reported four new outbreaks in poultry in that area, leading to the death or destruction of more than 9,800 birds.
