In India, the presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has been confirmed in four states, reports Times of India.
Affected states are Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Kerala. As these are located in the north-east, center, far north, and south-west of the country, the disease appears to be widely distributed across the nation, and not spread from a single origin.
In three of these states, it is wild birds that have tested positive for HPAI. However, poultry and ducks are infected in two districts of Kerala (Allapuzha and Kottayam). Around 12,000 ducks have died. Culling of around 40,000 other poultry is underway in the affected districts.
For all affected states, orders have been issued to follow the guidelines contained in the National Action Plan of Avian Influenza. Measures include strengthened biosecurity, active surveillance of poultry flocks, and proper disposal of dead birds.
In Himachal Pradesh, the virus is identified as H5N1 subtype in the Times of India report.
In a more recent development, New Indian Express reports that 400,000 poultry in Haryana have died of avian flu over the past 10 days. Affected in this northern state were farms in the Panchkula district. According to this source, the H5N8 HPAI virus has been identified in outbreaks in Hayana and Himachal Pradesh.
India recorded its first HPAI outbreak in 2006. Since then, several series of outbreaks have occurred — usually related to migratory birds.
South Korean cases rising
South Korea has confirmed the country’s 47th highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak on a poultry farm since the end of November, and the more than 13.6 million birds have been culled there.
Under national guidelines, all poultry within three kilometers of a confirmed outbreak must be culled, according to Yonhap. For all farms in an affected county, movements are banned for seven days.
Of the reported outbreaks — which have been linked to the H5N8 virus variant — 12 have been in Gyeonggi province, and 10 in South Jeolla. These are located, respectively, surrounding Seoul in the north-west of the country, and in the south-west.
Over the past week, South Korea’s agriculture ministry has registered 24 HPAI outbreaks in poultry to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Directly impacted were more than 1.45 million poultry in six provinces (Gyeonggi, North Jeolla, South Jeolla, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, and North Gyeongsang). Majority of these outbreaks were on farms with ducks, but several layer flocks were also involved. The disease was also confirmed among broiler breeders and quail.
According to the same news agency, the H5N8 HPAI virus has also been detected in 58 wild birds so far this winter.
Four new outbreaks on Japan’s poultry farms
In the period between December 22 and January 1, the agriculture ministry confirmed a further four outbreaks of HPAI in poultry linked to the H5N8 virus subtype.
Directly affecting more than 1.4 million birds, the virus was detected in two flocks of laying hens, and two of broiler chickens. The farms were in four different prefectures — Kagawa, Chiba, Miyazaki, and Gifu.
These are among the 14 prefectures to have registered at least one HPAI outbreak this winter.
The latest outbreaks bring the country’s total since early November to 49, with direct losses of birds at more than 6.1 million.
Last month, the same virus variant was detected for the first time in a wild bird in Saitama. Virus-positive cases have now been found in seven prefectures over the past month.
Taiwan records HPAI in poultry and wild birds
Two new outbreaks of HPAI linked to the H5N5 virus variant have been confirmed in poultry flocks in Taiwan. Affected were a layer flock of 33,000 birds in Changhua, and in around 2,300 meat geese in Yunlin.
These bring Taiwan’s total outbreaks related to this virus to 54. This virus was first detected in the territory in September of 2019.
For the first time in more than one year, a wild birds has tested positive for an HPAI virus of the H5 family. According to the official report to the OIE from the Council of Agriculture, this was an isolated case, and the situation has already been “resolved.” In mid-December, infection was confirmed in a wild duck in a forest park in Chiayi county. There are no poultry within three kilometers of this location.
Avian flu controls raised in The Philippines
At the end of last month, the chief veterinarian of Zamboanga City reported confirmation of avian flu in the Philippines. Inference from the Philippine News Agency was that cases had been confirmed in the country by the Department of Agriculture. No details were provided on the scale or location of any new outbreaks, but the official called on traders to obtain the correct certification to bring poultry into the area for sale.
Most recent HPAI cases to be officially recorded in The Philippines occurred at the end of August of 2020.
Zamboanga City is a region in the far west of the island of Mindanao.
Progress towards avian flu eradication in Australia
Poultry owners in the state of Victoria are still warned to be on alert for signs of avian flu in their birds, and urged to maintain high levels of biosecurity. However, Agriculture Victoria reports that movement restrictions are being lifted gradually.
Only remaining are small Control Areas around the previously infected farms near Lethbridge, Kerang and Bairnsdale. For these regions, the Control Area covers a radius of five, two, and one kilometer, respectively, around the premises.
In July and August of 2020, avian flu was detected at four farms near Lethbridge, one near Bairnsdale and one near Kerang. All these premises were depopulated and disinfected, while surveillance of wild and domestic birds continues.
Three different viruses were involved in these outbreaks. Three laying hen flocks tested positive for an H7N7 HPAI virus. Low-pathogenic H5N2 was detected at two turkey farms, and an H7N6 in a commercial emu flock.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
