United Kingdom, Egypt declare freedom from avian flu

Veterinary authorities in Egypt and the United Kingdom (U.K.) have declared their respective countries free of avian influenza.

Yurii Bukhanovskyi | Bigstock
Yurii Bukhanovskyi | Bigstock

The U.K. has now met the international requirements to declare the country free of H5N3 avian influenza.

Making the announcement earlier this week was the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The most recent outbreak in the country was in December of 2019, affecting a poultry farm in Suffolk in eastern England. Linked to an H5N3 low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus, the infection was restricted to just one premises. Movement restrictions put in place successfully prevented the further spread of the infection. Source of the virus was likely indirect contact with wild birds.

Since September of 2017, the U.K. has been free of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

With the winter migration of wild birds ahead, CVO Christine Middlemiss urged all poultry keepers to maintain high biosecurity, and to remain alert for the “real and constant threat” of the disease. Currently, the H5N8 HPAI virus is circulating in central Europe, leading to losses of infected poultry.

Egyptian poultry companies certified free of avian flu

Several poultry companies in Egypt have been officially accredited free of avian influenza, reports Egypt Today.

A total of 14 facilities have been approved by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), according to the country’s agriculture minister. Official accreditation opens up the possibility for a resumption of exports of hatching eggs, day-old chicks, breeding birds, and table eggs, announced Minister Al-Sayed al-Qusair.

Exports from Egypt were halted following outbreaks of HPAI in 2006. Located in desert areas, the farms applied for accreditation after meeting the requirements proving them to be free of the disease.

OIE recognition is also expected to stimulate investment in the Egyptian poultry sector.

Update on avian flu outbreaks in poultry

No official reports of new HPAI or LPAI outbreaks have been received by the OIE over the past week.

HPAI has been confirmed in poultry in eight European countries so far this year, according to the Animal Disease Notification System of the European Commission (EC).

In its update of June 15, the organization lists a total of 325 HPAI outbreaks in poultry since January 1. Of these, 273 were in Hungary, 32 in Poland, and nine in Bulgaria. Other countries that have reported one or more outbreaks in 2020 are Czech Republic, Germany, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

Additionally, there have been three outbreaks among captive birds in Europe, as well as three in wild birds, according to the same source. For both of these categories, there have been no new cases since March.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

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