In France, the agriculture minister met with a number of industry representatives last week to assess the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) situation in the country. The main points of discussion were the payment of compensation for farmers and others affected by the past winter’s outbreaks, and measures to avoid a similar catastrophe occurring again in future, according to the agriculture ministry.
Commenting on the discussions, Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie said that cooperation between the various parties is ongoing, and that a program of economic support has been launched. Already more than EUR18 million (US$21.9 million) of an estimated total of almost EUR90 million has been paid out to compensate for business losses.
Three aspects — anticipate, prevent, and adapt — form the basis of the new roadmap aimed at preventing a recurrence of the disruption caused by HPAI, according to the minister. To improve future disease management, more information will be gathered on the numbers of poultry and farms in each area. Future risks will be better assessed so that, for example, poultry densities can be reduced in areas considered as at high risk of new outbreaks. Furthermore, improvements will be made to both governance, and to farm biosecurity. There will also be an assessment of the feasibility of introducing avian flu vaccination of poultry from 2022.
Last month, the HPAI risk level in France was reduced from “high” to “moderate.” The number of confirmed HPAI outbreaks remains unchanged from May 3 at 492 in poultry. This total comprises 475 outbreaks in the worst-affected region in the south-west — where many cases were detected in commercial ducks and geese — and 17 that occurred across the rest of the country. In wild and captive birds, HPAI virus has been detected at a further 21 locations.
Until the end of this month, controls will remain in place for the restocking of waterfowl in areas free of HPAI.
Latest avian flu outbreaks registered in France
Over the past week, the French veterinary authority has officially registered two new outbreaks of HPAI in poultry linked to the H5N8 virus variant. Around 5,000 waterfowl and 20,500 poultry of unspecified type tested positive for this virus on February 25 and March 1, respectively. The birds were present at two farms in the southwestern department of Gers. They brought France’s losses of poultry due to mortality or culling since November of 2020 to almost 2.425 million, according to information supplied to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Since January of this year, a low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus of the H5N3 family has also been detected among French poultry flocks. The authorities have registered with the OIE a sixth outbreak, which occurred at the end of January. Affected was a flock of 3,140 waterfowl in Pyrenees-Atlantiques in the southwest of France. The birds were culled, bringing the country’s loss of birds to this virus variant to more than 19,600.
HPAI outbreaks in European poultry pass 1,000 milestone
Up to May 8, 1,096 outbreaks of HPAI have been confirmed among European poultry flocks so far this year. This is an increase of 203 from the previous report to April 18, according to the Animal Disease Information System of the European Commission (EC).
Of the 18 states registering outbreaks through this system, worst affected is France with 473 outbreaks. Poland’s total stood at 300 on that date, and Germany’s at 187. So far this year, Lithuania has reported 38 outbreaks in poultry, overtaking the Czech Republic with 35. Other countries have notified the EC of more than 11 outbreaks.
During the whole of 2020, 16 European states reported a total of 442 HPAI outbreaks in poultry to the EC system.
New HPAI cases in poultry in five more countries of Europe
Last week, Poland’s total reached 312 HPAI outbreaks in poultry, according to the chief veterinary office. This included outbreaks at a further 12 locations in three provinces (Mazovia, Greater Poland, and Warmia-Masuria). Directly involving more than 1.05 million birds in total, the latest outbreaks hit four broiler flocks, three of meat turkeys, one of rearing pullets, meat ducks and geese, and one backyard flock.
In Germany, six states have officially registered new cases of HPAI in poultry with the OIE over the past week.
For the first time, the H5N5 virus subtype has been detected in poultry in Bavaria, and the H5N1 variant in North Rhine-Westphalia, and. Two further outbreaks involving this virus subtype have been confirmed in Lower Saxony.
Continuing existing outbreak series, the H5N8 variant has been detected in poultry at 10 more locations in Lower Saxony, as well as a further four in Brandenburg, two in North Rhine-Westphalia, and one in each of Bavaria, Baden Wurttemberg and Saxony.
In total, almost 317,000 poultry were directly impacted by these latest HPAI outbreaks in Germany.
Between the end of February and mid-April, the H5N8 HPAI virus was detected in 10 Danish poultry flocks. According to the official report to the OIE, more than 116,000 birds were directly impacted — involving seven commercial farms and three backyard flocks in several regions of Denmark.
In the Czech Republic, four more poultry flocks tested positive for the same virus subtype during April. These included two commercial duck flocks, and two groups of hobby birds — a total of almost 13,600 poultry. These bring the country’s outbreaks since January to 35.
The H5N8 HPAI virus was first detected in Romania earlier this month. By May 11, five of the country’s poultry flocks had tested positive for the virus, impacting more than 179,600 birds. The first outbreak occurred at a commercial farm in the central county of Mures, but the subsequent cases have been among backyard flocks there and neighboring Harghita.
Avian flu resolved in poultry in four European states
Over the past week, the respective animal health agencies of three countries in Europe have declared to the OIE that the avian flu situation of the past winter has been “resolved.” In each case, just one outbreak was recorded. For Finland and Slovakia, the declaration applies to the H5N8 and H5N5 HPAI virus variants, respectively. In Italy, this applies to the H7N7 LPAI virus subtype.
OIE has also been informed by the veterinary authorities of Italy and Sweden that there have been no new HPAI outbreaks in poultry linked to the H5N8 virus.
Prevention zone lifted in Great Britain
In place since November of 2020, the restrictions linked to the avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) have been lifted in England, Scotland and Wales. From May 15, restrictions on additional biosecurity are no longer required, according to the agriculture department of the United Kingdom, Defra.
As long as good biosecurity is maintained, the risk of avian flu to poultry has been reduced to “low” in these areas.
Despite the lifting of restrictions, poultry owners are being urged to maintain vigilance for signs of the disease in their birds, as well as adhering to regular biosecurity protocols.
In Northern Ireland, the additional AIPZ-related biosecurity measures remain in place.
HPAI situation in Europe’s wild and captive birds
The number of confirmed outbreaks of HPAI among wild birds in Europe has reached 1,446. This is the total for the year to May 8, according to the EC’s notification system. Compared to the previous edition from April 18, this represents an increase of 184.
Recording by far the most cases so far has been Germany, with a total of 762 outbreaks — 101 more than three weeks earlier. Now with 235 confirmed outbreaks in wild species is Denmark. Also registering new cases through the EC system were Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden.
Over the past week, countries reporting to the OIE new HPAI cases in wild birds linked to the H5N8 virus variant were Finland and Sweden.
From a wild goose in the Hamburg city area, HPAI virus has been detected over the past week, according to Germany’s national veterinary reference laboratory, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute.
In Denmark, two wild birds found dead during April have tested positive for the H5N3 virus subtype, and eight more had the H5N5 variant during March. For the first time, the H5N1 virus was detected in two wild birds in Denmark since early March. The H5N5 variant was detected in wild species in the Stockholm area of Sweden during March.
Croatia’s animal health authority has declared to the OIE that the HPAI situation in the country has been “resolved.” This followed the detection of the H5N8 virus subtype in three wild birds between March and May. Russia has made a similar declaration to the OIE after a total of 27 wild birds tested positive for the same virus types
After one swan tested positive for the H5N5 HPAI virus in February, the Czech Republic’s veterinary agency has also declared the disease situation “resolved” to the OIE.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
