Veterinary authorities in Hong Kong have reported the return of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to the region in imported chicken meat, while new outbreaks of the disease have been confirmed at poultry farms in Taiwan and South Korea, and in commercial ostriches in South Africa.
After a brief absence, HPAI has been detected in chilled chicken at a shop in Hong Kong. According to the report from the territory’s animal health agency to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), an intensive program of surveillance for the disease has revealed that one swab taken from the chicken tested positive for the H5N6 virus. The meat had been imported. This virus was last detected in Hong Kong in December last year.
Hong Kong food safety officials stressed that the risk of infection to consumers was “very slim” if the meat is properly handled, reports South China Morning Post.
There were a further four outbreaks of HPAI linked to the H5N2 HPAI virus family in Taiwan during the second half of January. In its report to the OIE, the agriculture ministry confirms the infection in a flock of meat ducks in the county of Yunlin, and in native chickens in Pingtung. After suspicious signs were observed at two slaughterhouses in Taipei and New Taipei, the virus was also detected in 58 native chickens. In total, more than 15,800 poultry died or were destroyed in these latest outbreaks.
In South Korea, H5N6 HPAI viruses have been detected in two flocks of laying hens in the province of Gyeonggi, which surrounds the capital city, Seoul. Over 800 hens died, and the remaining 290,000 have been destroyed.
H5 avian flu virus has been detected in a wild bird found dead on the South Korean resort island of Jeju, reports Yonhap. According to the news agency, the authorities have imposed movement restrictions on poultry and livestock within 10 kilometers of the location for a period of 21 days.
Africa: South Africa confirms new HPAI outbreaks
South Africa’s total number of H5N8 HPAI outbreaks has increased to 139, with new cases among the wild bird population and in the commercial ostrich sector.
According to the official report to the OIE, 24 cases of HPAI linked to the H5N8 virus variant were confirmed among more than 2,200 ostriches at three farms in Western Cape Province during the first two weeks of January this year.
For the four weeks following December 27, 2017, a total of 15 wild birds at 10 locations tested positive for the same HPAI virus. The majority of the cases were seabirds of the Laridae family. All but one were found in Western Cape Province or the city of Cape Town.
Europe: More wild bird deaths in the UK
While the United Kingdom has not experienced an outbreak of HPAI caused by the H5N6 virus variant in poultry flocks in this winter season, there have been further cases among the wild bird population.
Latest to be affected are a flock of swans on the River Thames at Windsor in Berkshire to the west of London. According to Windsor Observer, at least seven of the birds have died, with HPAI suspected as the cause of death. By long tradition, all unmarked mute swans on the river are owned by the Queen.
Previously, the agriculture department had informed OIE that 15 wild birds had tested positive for the H5N6 HPAI virus at three locations in England. The infected birds were found dead in natural parks as widely distributed as the London area, West Yorkshire, and East Midlands. All these locations are in or near areas with a high concentration of wild waterfowl or water birds.
