New avian flu cases in Mexico, South Africa, Taiwan

While the avian influenza situation is reported to have been resolved in the Bulgarian, Iranian and U.S. poultry sectors, new outbreaks have been reported in Mexico, South Africa and Taiwan.

(sharafmaksumov | Bigstock)
(sharafmaksumov | Bigstock)

While the avian influenza situation is reported to have been resolved in the Bulgarian, Iranian and U.S. poultry sectors, new outbreaks have been reported in Mexico, South Africa and Taiwan.

Animal health agencies of three countries have officially reported new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) over the past week — Mexico, South Africa, and Taiwan.

As reported recently by local media, Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture confirmed four new outbreaks linked to the H5N2 virus variant. Affecting a total of more than 23,000 poultry, the cases were in two flocks of meat ducks and one of turkeys in the county of Yunlin, and among native chickens at a farm in Changhua. So far this year, these counties have recorded 24 and 10 HPAI outbreaks, respectively.

Presence of a low-pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H5N2 subtype has been confirmed by the Taiwanese authorities to the OIE. The pathogenicity of the virus was recently confirmed in samples taken in 2017. Those samples had been taken from a layer flock in Pingtung county, and from a Yunlin farm with native chickens.

Mexican outbreaks total increases to 18

Three more outbreaks of HPAI linked to the H7N3 virus variant have been reported to the OIE over the past week by Mexico’s veterinary agency, Senasica. Occurring during the second and third weeks of June, these bring the country’s total outbreaks since March to 18, and the direct losses of poultry through mortality or culling to more than 280,000.

Most recent cases were in flocks described as “backyard,” ranging in size from 50 to 1,000 birds in the states of Hidalgo, Jalisco, and Guanajuato. In the largest outbreak, all the birds died after showing typical symptoms of the disease. A movement ban was immediately imposed at each of the locations, and this was followed by depopulation of the premises, and thorough cleaning and disinfection.

According to Senasica, there is a low prevalence of HPAI in all three states, where vaccination can be carried out following prior authorization by the agency.

Last week, Hong Kong announced a ban on imports of all poultry products from Guanajuato following the outbreak in that state.

More South African ostriches afflicted with HPAI

During the third week of June, HPAI of the H5N8 subtype was detected in 22 of the 1,440 commercial ostriches at a farm in Northern Cape Province, according to the official report to the OIE from the South African agriculture ministry. This latest outbreak brings the number of HPAI outbreaks in the country’s commercial ostrich sector since 2017 to 206.

A low-pathogenic H7N2 avian influenza virus was detected in one ostrich flock in February, but the agriculture ministry has reported to the OIE that it has recorded no cases since that time.

Avian flu “resolved” in Bulgaria, Iran, U.S.

Following a series of H5N8 HPAI outbreaks since 2018, Bulgaria’s agriculture ministry has reported the situation resolved to the OIE. Most recent cases were in the central provinces of Lovech and Plovdiv in April this year.

Iran’s latest HPAI outbreaks linked to the same virus variant were also in April, and the country’s Veterinary Organization has declared to the OIE that the disease threat has ended.

In September and October of last year, the US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported the low-pathogenic H7N3 avian flu virus at four locations. All there were in turkey flocks in Stanislaus County, California. Since that time, the virus has not been detected during surveillance activities, and APHIS has reported to the OIE that the disease event has been closed.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

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