The only European countries registering new cases in highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) poultry over the past week are Lithuania and Poland. Surveillance has revealed the first detections of an H5N1 HPAI in a wild bird in Latvia, and an H5N4 variant in the German state of Lower Saxony.
Up to May 28, 1,160 outbreaks of HPAI have been confirmed among European poultry flocks so far this year. This is an increase of just nine from the previous report to May 23, according to the Animal Disease Information System of the European Commission (EC). Of these, seven were in Poland, and two in Lithuania.
Of the 18 states registering outbreaks through this system, worst affected has been France with 473 outbreaks. The Polish total has reached 334, and 207 outbreaks have been registered in Germany.
During the whole of 2020, 16 European states reported a total of 442 HPAI outbreaks in poultry to the EC system.
There has been no change to the low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) situation in European poultry flocks, according to the EC system. Three countries - France, Germany, and Italy - registered a total of eight outbreaks between early February and March 23.
France: Situation 'stable'
Last month, the agriculture ministry declared that the HPAI risk across the whole of the country had been reduced to “negligible.” The latest statement from the same source records that the situation has stabilized. No new HPAI cases have been detected in poultry or wild birds in any region since May 3.
While all additional measures — including the confinement of poultry to houses — have been lifted, the ministry has again warned owners to be alert to signs of disease in their birds, and to maintain high biosecurity standards. Around half of the protection and surveillance zones put in place at the height of the epidemic remain in place.
Over the past week, the French animal health agency has reported no new avian flu cases in poultry to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The nation’s most recent outbreaks to be officially registered were in mid-April (for the H5N8 HPAI virus variant), and in early March (for the LPAI H5N3 virus subtype).
New outbreaks confirmed in Poland
The latest reports from the chief veterinary office put the country’s total H5N8 HPAI outbreaks so far this year at 336.
This includes cases in three more flocks, which were confirmed between May 26 and June 1. Affected were two commercial flocks in the same county of the province of Mazovia — one of around 3,000 meat geese, and another of 19,300 breeding hens. The third location was in Opole province, in non-commercial birds.
These cases bring the number of Polish poultry directly impacted by HPAI since the start of the year to just under 3.943 million.
According to the European Reference Lab for avian influenza IZSVe, Poland has recorded a total of 356 HPAI outbreaks in poultry and captive birds since the autumn/fall of 2020.
HPAI situation in Europe’s wild and captive birds
The number of confirmed outbreaks of HPAI among wild birds in Europe now stands at 1,552. This is the total for the year to May 28, according to the EC’s notification system. Compared to the previous edition from May 23, this represents an increase of just seven. Of these, five were confirmed in the Netherlands, and two in Lithuania.
Recording by far the most cases so far this year has been Germany, with an unchanged total of 834. Next come Denmark (240 outbreaks), Poland (89), and Sweden (81).
First detections, situation 'resolved'
Over the past week, the OIE has been informed about new outbreaks of HPAI in wild or captive birds in two European countries. The H5N4 variant has been detected for the first time in a swan found dead in the German state of Lower Saxony. In Latvia, routine surveillance has revealed an H5N1 HPAI virus for the first time in a wild bird.
These latest detections indicate that the threat of HPAI in Europe is not yet passed.
However, OIE has also been informed by the respective veterinary agencies of four European states that HPAI has been resolved in wild birds. With respect to the H5N8 HPAI virus variant, this applies to Greece, and to Sweden’s Skane county. The H5N1 virus has been brought under control in Lower Saxony.
In Ukraine, wild birds in the oblasts of Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Ternopil are reported to be free of H5 HPAI, according to the latest OIE reports. In the past few weeks, the national veterinary authority declared to the OIE that Ukrainian poultry are free of HPAI.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
