Since the end of July, the Czech Republic and Denmark have recently declared the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) situation in their respective poultry sectors closed. Meanwhile, details have been released about 20 further outbreaks in northern Poland earlier this year, and new cases are identified among wild birds in four European states.
As the summer progresses, the avian flu situation among European poultry flocks generally continues to ease.
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 1,174. This is according to the latest update dated August 6. The total is unchanged from July 24.
So far this year, 19 countries have reported one or more cases through this system. Only one — Kosovo — has confirmed new cases in the past four weeks.
With a total of eight outbreaks between them, just three countries in the region have registered any cases of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) in 2021. Most recent outbreaks were in the month of March.
Further cases registered retrospectively in France, Poland
In France, the number of poultry involved in the HPAI outbreaks linked to the H5N8 virus variant has been adjusted. According to this latest official report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the total now stands at more than 2.425 million, and 488 confirmed outbreaks. At one affected premises in the south-west of the country, additional birds were involved and culled at a duck farm where programmed surveillance revealed the presence of the H5N8 HPAI virus back in January.
According to the French agriculture ministry, around 3.5 million poultry have been slaughtered in the country as a result of avian flu since November of last year. Following confirmation of outbreaks or as a preventative measure to reduce the spread of infection, the great majority of these birds were ducks and located in south-western departments.
Over the past week, Poland’s veterinary authority has reported to the OIE 20 new outbreaks of HPAI lined to the H5N8 virus variant. Involving a total of more than 38,000 birds, these outbreaks occurred in the provinces of Pomerania and West Pomerania over the period April 5-23. While six of the flocks affected were backyards, the majority were described as “farms,” even when the flock size was as small as 30 birds. Two of the commercial premises had around 14,000 and 17,400 meat ducks, and another had 5,900 duck breeders.
In this Polish outbreak wave that started in early December of 2020 and affected these two northern provinces, 25 outbreaks have been confirmed. More than 13,000 poultry died, and 418,000 more have been culled.
Across Poland, 338 HPAI outbreaks have occurred across Poland so far this year, according to the latest EC data (as of August 6). This is the second highest outbreak tally in 2021 — behind France (474 outbreaks).
Avian flu “resolved” in Czech, Danish poultry flocks
Over the past week, veterinary authorities in the Czech Republic have declared to the OIE that the H5N8 HPAI situation in the nation’s poultry has been “resolved.” Between January and mid-May of this year, there were 37 confirmed outbreaks across several regions. Directly impacted were more than 277,000 poultry through mortality and culling to prevent the further spread of infection. The country’s most recent outbreak in mid-April was considered closed by the end of May.
Denmark’s animal health agency has also reported to the OIE that H5N8 HPAI has been controlled in its poultry sector. In early July, there was an isolated outbreak at a broiler breeder unit in Southern Denmark. The virus had previously been detected in the area in April, but presumably no further cases have emerged over the past month.
Based on information supplied to the EC, a total of 12 HPAI outbreaks have been registered in Danish poultry in 2021.
Four European states register new HPAI cases in wild birds
Among Europe’s wild bird populations, total HPAI outbreaks have reached 1,667 for the year to August 6, according to the EC system. These covered 28 countries.
Reporting new cases in wild birds to the EC over the previous two weeks have been Finland (5), Germany (4), and Sweden (1).
In addition, one more wild bird in the United Kingdom (UK) has tested positive for the H5N1 HPAI virus variant. According to the official OIE report, the dead seabird was found on Fair Isle in mid-July. Part of the Shetland Isles, Fair Isle lies off the northeast coast of Scotland.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
