For the first time since November 2020, no cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry have been officially registered by any European state. One new outbreak in a small Dutch flock is suspected, however. For countries in the west of the region, the number of new infections in wild birds continues to decline. However, Estonia has recorded recent cases among this population, and at a zoo in the capital city.
The latest data from the Animal Disease Information System of the European Commission (EC) puts the number of HPAI outbreaks in Europe so far this year at 1,162. As the situation on June 5, this is just two more than the previous week (May 28). This included one new outbreak in Germany and two in Poland. The figure for Lithuania was adjusted downwards by one outbreak.
Eighteen countries have reported HPAI outbreaks in poultry to the EC so far this year. For comparison, 16 European states reported a total of 442 outbreaks through the system during the whole of last year.
For 2021, worst affected continues to be France with 473 outbreaks, but the nation’s total has been unchanged for more than one month. Poland has now registered 336 outbreaks through this system, and the German total is 208. These are followed by Lithuania with 39 outbreaks in poultry, and the Czech Republic with 37. The remaining 13 countries have notified the EC of no more than 15 outbreaks.
One new outbreak has been reported in poultry in the Netherlands, according to the agriculture ministry. In the province of Utrecht, a total of 56 chickens and ducks have been culled after testing revealed the presence of an H5 HPAI virus. A highly pathogenic form of the virus is suspected among this free-range flock. There are reported to be no commercial poultry farms within 10 kilometers of the affected premises. Nevertheless, a transport ban has been put in place within this area on all poultry, eggs, manure and litter, as well as other animals from premises with any poultry.
Europe sees three peaks in new HPAI infections
Tracking weekly outbreaks of HPAI in Europe has been the European Reference Lab for avian influenza, IZSVe. Following three peaks in outbreaks among both poultry and other birds since the start of last winter, the number of new outbreaks has declined steadily over the past three months. Driven by high numbers of cases in wild birds, the weekly total reached around 250 in late February. This fell to 10 outbreaks for the first week in June.
For poultry, the outbreak peak occurred during the second HPAI wave at the start of this year. At the time, around 160 of the total of 200 outbreaks reported to the IZSVe were in poultry.
Avian flu situation resolved in poultry in western Russia, Denmark
Over the past week, the veterinary authorities of Russia officially declared the earlier HPAI situation “resolved.”
According to the official report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the statement applies to the H5N8 HPAI virus variant in four divisions of western Russia.
Between mid-September of last year and the end of January 2021, almost 2.74 million birds were directly affected by eight outbreaks of HPAI. The poultry, which died or were culled to prevent further spread of infection, belonged to six farms and two backyard flocks. After the first outbreak in Karachay-Cherkessia Republic in the North Caucasian federal district of Karachay-Cherkessia, other cases were detected in the Southern district — oblasts of Rostov and Astrakhan, as well as Krasnodar krai.
Directly involving more than 154,000 poultry, 12 outbreaks of HPAI linked to the same virus variant have been registered in Denmark. These were confirmed between mid-November of 2020 and April 22 this year. With no further cases confirmed since that time, the Danish authorities have declared to the OIE that the HPAI situation with respect to this virus has been resolved.
Overview of HPAI situation in Europe’s wild and captive birds
For 2021, the number of confirmed outbreaks of HPAI among wild birds in Europe now stands at 1,571, according to the EC’s notification system (as of June 5). Compared to the previous update from May 28, this represents an increase of 19. Of these, 14 were confirmed by Germany, two by Lithuania, and there were one each in Denmark, Finland, and Latvia.
In all, 28 states in the region have registered with the EC one or more cases of HPAI in their respective wild bird populations.
Registering by far the most cases so far this year has been Germany, now with a total of 848. Next come Denmark (241 outbreaks), Poland (89), Sweden (81), and Latvia (37). Other countries have reported no more than 30 outbreaks through this system so far this year.
New cases registered in birds other than poultry
For the first time, the veterinary authorities of Estonia and the German state of Hamburg have recorded the first detection of the H5N1 HPAI virus variant in wild birds in their respective territories.
Linked to a member of the H5 group, one new outbreak has been registered by the Belgian animal health agency. According to the OIE report, 14 birds were affected by an outbreak in the province of Hainaut last month. Described as “domestic birds,” 10 of the group died and the rest were destroyed in late May.
Part of Wallonia, Hainaut is located in southern Belgium. According to IZSVe, the H5N8 virus variant was detected at the premises.
The same virus subtype was found in a mixed flock of birds after four of them died at a Tallinn zoo earlier this month, according to an OIE report from the Estonian animal health agency.
Also registering with the OIE new cases of HPAI linked to the H5N1 virus subgroup over the past week have been the veterinary authorities of Finland, and the German states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. One further wild birds in Hamburg has tested positive for the H5N8 HPAI virus variant.
HPAI resolved in wild birds in Denmark, German state
Over the past week, the OIE has been informed of the resolution of several series of HPAI outbreaks among Danish wild birds. Following a period of time with no new detections, this applies to the H5N3, H5N5, and H5N8 virus variants.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, the HPAI linked to the H5N8 virus has similarly been resolved, according to the German state’s latest report to the OIE. This declaration followed two outbreaks involving 360 wild birds in January and March of this year.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
