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 1,174. This is according to the latest update dated July 24.
So far this year, 19 countries have reported one or more cases through this system. Only three — Denmark, France and Kosovo — confirmed new outbreaks during the month of July.
During the whole of 2020, EC registered 442 HPAI outbreaks in poultry in 16 European countries.
Over the past week, veterinary authorities in the Czech Republic have revised some figures in previous official reports to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Since the country's first cases of the year on January 20, 33 outbreaks linked to the H5N8 HPAI virus are confirmed. More than 260,800 poultry were directly involved in these outbreaks, 2,230 of which died and the rest have been culled. The country’s most recent outbreak was on May 18, according to the EC.
General HPAI situation among Europe’s wild birds
Among Europe’s wild bird populations, total HPAI outbreaks have reached 1,657 for the year to July 24, according to the EC system. These covered 28 countries.
For comparison, there were 756 HPAI outbreaks in Europe’s wild bird populations last year. These occurred in 13 countries. Furthermore, among captive birds, eight countries registered a total of 18 outbreaks with this agency.
Reporting new cases in wild birds to the EC so far this month have been Finland, Germany, Norway, and Sweden.
With the country’s most recent case of HPAI in a wild bird detected in April, the situation has been declared “resolved” by the Czech veterinary agency to the OIE. Previously, 27 outbreaks were confirmed, involving 58 dead birds, and a further 33 culled.
Only European states reporting new cases of HPAI in their respective wild bird populations with the OIE over the past week were Finland, Norway and Sweden. Two sick Finnish birds tested positive for the H5N8 virus in mid-July. In each of the other nations, one wild duck found dead was found to be infected with the same virus subtype.
Also in Sweden, a first case in the wild population this year has tested positive for the H5N1 HPAI virus variant. According to the OIE report, this involved an eagle found dead in May.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
