Avian flu outbreaks reported in Afghanistan, western India

This season’s first cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in poultry in Afghanistan, and new outbreaks are reported in two states in western India. Following confirmation of the transmission of the H5N8 infection to humans, Vietnam has been urged to extend its surveillance to include this variant. China has registered three more cases in children infected with a flu virus of avian origin.

(bangoland | Bigstock)
(bangoland | Bigstock)

For the first time since June of 2019, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) linked to the H5N8 virus variant has been detected in Afghanistan.

Following increased mortality in a flock of 22,000 broilers around one month ago, presence of the H5N8 HPAI virus was confirmed. According to the official notification to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), source of the infection at the farm in Herat is unknown.

Located in the west of the country, Herat province shares international borders with Iran and Turkmenistan.

More bird flu cases in India’s western states

For the first time, H5N1 HPAI has been detected in samples taken from a riverfront market in the city, reports Ahmedabad Mirror. Two out of 12 chicken samples taken last week have tested positive for the virus. This discovery promoted local investigations, which found no chickens within a one-kilometer radius of the market. Source of the birds were being traced, while the market area has been sanitized.

In the meantime, some poultry found dead in the Sola district of the city tested positive for HPAI, according to the same source. Authorities immediately banned the purchase, sale or movement of poultry and eggs in this area.

Ahmedabad is located in the western state of Gujarat, where presence of the H5N8 HPAI virus was first reported to the OIE in early February.

The neighboring state in the west of India is Maharashtra, where the first cases of HPAI linked to the H5N1 virus were officially registered in mid-January.

Last week, India Today reported that 79 birds found dead in three districts — Beed, Latur and Nandurbar — had tested positive for avian flu virus. These included 75 poultry.

This led local government to warn poultry keepers to follow biosecurity procedures, and shop workers to wear masks and gloves when handling poultry.

Just days later, 57 poultry died of avian flu in the Hingoli and Nandurbar districts, reported Free Press Journal. Samples had been sent for testing.

This source put the losses in the state so far at 1.065 million poultry (including 898,000 in the Navapur municipality of Nandurbar), as well as more than six million eggs and 83 metric tons of poultry feed. These were losses associated with premises within one kilometer of a confirmed HPAI outbreak. The government has released 33.8 million rupees (INR; US$462,000) to compensate affected owners.

In the north of India, a low-pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H5N8 family has been detected for the first time in Kashmir. Greater Kashmir reports that around 570 poultry were involved in a preventative cull of birds within one kilometer of the confirmed outbreak in the Bandipora district.

Avian flu situation stable in South Korea, Japan

Over the past week, there have been no new HPAI outbreaks linked to the H5N8 virus variant, according to the Yonhap news agency.

As a result of the 103 confirmed outbreaks since October of 2020, the number of poultry culled now stands at 29 million. In addition, 221 wild birds have tested positive for the HPAI virus. As these populations being their spring migration, agriculture ministry officials forecast that numbers of infected birds will now decline.

Japan’s agriculture ministry has not registered any new HPAI outbreaks in poultry over the past week. Presence of the H5N8 virus variant was reported for the first time this winter in early November. Total for primary outbreak remains at 51, while the overall number (including secondary infections) stands at 75. By mid-February, 7.1 million poultry had been culled to control the spread of HPAI.

More on the threat to human health of H5N8 HPAI virus

Last month, research in Russia indicated that several poultry workers had become infected with the H5N8 virus. This was the first evidence of the transmission of this variant to people anywhere in the world.

This development does not require any changes to current recommendations on public health measures and surveillance of animal and seasonal human influenza, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Existing measures should continue to be implemented, the body says.

WHO recommends that, when avian flu viruses are circulating, people involved in specific, high-risk tasks should be trained on how to protect themselves, and on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). This includes those sampling sick birds, culling and disposing of infected birds, eggs, litter and cleaning of infected premises. These workers should be registered and monitored closely by local health authorities for one week following contact with poultry or their environments.

According to WHO, seven people carrying out work following an HPAI outbreak at the poultry farm in Russia’s Astrakhan oblast in December tested positive for influenza A(H5N8). Aged between 29 and 60 years, they included two men and five women. The infected people showed no symptoms throughout the follow-up period of several weeks. They tested negative for the virus during medical investigations, and no members of their families or other contact showed any clinical signs.

In 2020, the H5N8 virus variant has been detected in poultry and wild birds in many countries of Europe and Asia. Subsequently, the virus infecting the Russian workers was identified as belonging to the clade 2.3.4.4b. This clade was isolated for the first time in a wild bird in Russia’s Far East district in 2014.

Avian influenza A(H5) viruses have spread from Asia to Europe via wild birds since 2004, according to WHO. There is evidence that genetic clade 2.3.4.4 H5 viruses have re-assorted with other avian flu viruses, resulting in avian influenza A(H5N1), A(H5N2), A(H5N3), A(H5N5), A(H5N6), and A(H5N8) viruses. These have been detected in birds in many Asian and European countries.

Vietnam warned about H5N8 virus strain

Following the human cases of linked to the H5N8 variant in Russia, WHO has warned Vietnam about the potential threat to human health.

According to Vietnam Express, the country’s authorities have been recommended to continue monitoring progress on HPAI, and to extend surveillance to include H5N8 variants.

An official from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that the H5N8 virus shares antigenic characteristics with the H5N6 variant that is known to be present in Vietnam.

Around one month ago, the same source reported that 100,000 poultry had already been culled in Vietnam since the start of the year. H5N6 or H5N1 virus variant had been detected at around 40 locations in 14 regions across the country.

New human cases of avian flu in China

WHO has been informed about three new cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus. All occurred in young Chinese girls, with onset between the end of November 2020 and mid-January this year. They suffered only mild symptoms, and have recovered. No cases were suspected among their contacts.

Affected were a one-year-old from Sichuan province, a five-year-old in Anhui, and a two-year-old in Jiangxi. Only the first child was known to have had contact with poultry.

Since the first detection of this virus in China in December of 2015, 43 cases have been reported by the country. This includes five cases this year.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

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