Since the start of January, presence of the H5N1 virus serotype has been detected at 34 locations in Poland. This is according to the nation’s chief veterinary office, as of January 25.
Of the 13 most recent outbreaks — starting in the period January 17-22 — 12 occurred in the central-western province of Greater Poland. All were commercial premises located in one of two adjacent counties (Kalisz and Turek). The outbreaks affected two flocks of meat turkeys and 10 flocks of meat ducks.
The other recent outbreak was confirmed at a farm with laying hens in Silesia. This province is in the southwest of Poland, and the county (Cieczyn) borders the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
According to this source, 34 HPAI outbreaks have occurred in Polish poultry flocks since the start of this year. Directly impacted through mortality or culling have been more than 817,000 poultry.
Over the past two weeks, authorities has notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about recent HPAI outbreaks in six more Polish provinces. These were Pomerania in the north, Kuyavia-Pomerania and Lodz in central Poland, Lubusz in the west of the country and Lower Silesia and Opole in the southwest.
European poultry outbreaks approach 100
In the first three weeks of 2023, 99 HPAI outbreaks were recorded in commercial poultry flocks across Europe. This is based on the latest update of the Animal Disease Information System by the European Commission (EC; as of January 21). One or more outbreaks have occurred in 11 countries covered by the EC since the start of the year.
Based on information from the EC, France has reported the most HPAI outbreaks in poultry so far at 34, followed by Poland with 32, the Czech Republic with 12 and Germany with nine. Also registering one or more outbreaks with the EC so far this year have been Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Moldova, the Netherlands and Slovakia. These seven nations have each confirmed between one and three farm outbreaks so far this year.
Already in December, the European Food Safety Authority declared that the current HPAI epidemic is the largest ever recorded in birds across Europe.
Almost without exception, virus serotype involved in the continent’s outbreaks since the autumn/fall of 2021 has been the H5N1 variant.
French seasonal outbreak total continues to rise
Based on information from the EC, France reported by far the highest number of HPAI outbreaks in poultry in 2022 (1,594).
As the country continues to contain the infection, 286 poultry farm outbreaks have been confirmed since August 1 last year. This is according to the agriculture ministry (as of January 24). Over the same period, outbreaks have occurred in commercial flocks in 29 departments across all 12 regions of mainland France. Recording its first outbreak of the season over the past two weeks was Landes in the southwestern region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Up to mid-January, the number of commercial birds directly impacted by HPAI in France has passed 19.8 million. Covering the entire period since November of 2021, this is the total notified by the French veterinary authority to WOAH.
New outbreaks recorded in backyard flocks, captive birds
As of January 21, five European nations had notified the EC’s System of HPAI cases in “captive birds” since the start of the month. Covering backyard and hobby poultry flocks as well as premises such as zoos, the total stands at 18 for the year so far.
Affected have been seven locations in France, six in Germany, three in Austria and one each in Hungary and the Netherlands.
Over the past two weeks, Germany’s animal health agency has registered with WOAH a further 26 HPAI outbreaks in backyard poultry flocks. Involving a total of around 2,500 birds, the outbreaks hit flocks in six states since the end of October.
In December, a spike in HPAI cases in the country was linked to poultry shows attracting pedigree and hobby flock owners.
The disease situation in Russia is not covered by the EC System.
Over the past two weeks, the national veterinary agency has notified WOAH about two new outbreaks in backyard poultry flocks. Also involving the H5N1 HPAI virus serotype, one outbreak was confirmed in Kaliningrad and Stavropol. These are located in the Northwestern and North Caucasus federal districts, respectively.
Furthermore, one further outbreak in backyard poultry has been reported to WOAH by the authorities in Moldova, Poland and Slovakia.
Wild bird outbreaks pass 200
So far this year, 242 outbreaks of HPAI have been registered through the EC’s System by 18 European states (as of January 21).
With 58 outbreaks in this category, Germany has confirmed the most outbreaks, followed by France (32), Belgium (25) and Denmark (20).
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
