Six Asian states report more avian flu outbreaks in poultry

In general across Asia, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) situation appears to be starting a seasonal decline as the winter ends. However, Japan and South Korea report further suspected or confirmed outbreaks in poultry, as have India, Nepal, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

On a light gray background, a light blue disposable face mask, a stethoscope, an electronic thermometer, pills, a pen and a notebook with the inscription AVIAN INFLUENZA. Medical concept
On a light gray background, a light blue disposable face mask, a stethoscope, an electronic thermometer, pills, a pen and a notebook with the inscription AVIAN INFLUENZA. Medical concept
(Alena Dzihilevich | Bigstock)

In general across Asia, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) situation appears to be starting a seasonal decline as the winter ends. However, Japan and South Korea report further suspected or confirmed outbreaks in poultry, as have India, Nepal, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

Over the current HPAI “season,” which began in October last year, Japan has confirmed outbreaks on 76 commercial farms.

Latest official notifications to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) from the Japanese authorities outline the 12 most recent outbreaks. These commenced between January 25 and February 9. 

Directly impacting a total of more than 2.98 million birds, the affected premises were located in seven different prefectures — all of which have reported previous outbreaks during the current disease wave. Nine of these latest outbreaks were in Kanto, which is the region around Tokyo. The remaining outbreaks were in the regions of Kansai and Tohoku (also on the main island of Honshu), and on the southernmost main island of Kyushu. 

Among these latest outbreaks, one had epidemiological links to a premises in Kumamoto, where the birds were also culled to prevent further spread of HPAI. This was the first involvement of this Kyushu region prefecture in the current disease wave.  

Each with between 55,000 and 1.15 million birds, five of the latest flocks to be affected comprised flaying hens. There were further cases in commercial ducks, broilers, quail, and two mixed flocks. One of these included some emus. 

Since October of 2022, more than 14.6 million Japanese poultry have been directly impacted by HPAI outbreaks linked to the H5N1 virus serotype.

Also recently detected in Japan was the H5N2 virus variant. Broilers in a commercial flock in Kyushu tested positive for this serotype in mid-January. No further cases have been reported in the country. 

Since January of 2022, 1,225 wild birds have also tested positive for the H5N1 HPAI virus in Japan, according to WOAH notifications. 

Three new suspected outbreaks in South Korea

In recent days, the agriculture ministry reported three more suspected outbreaks of HPAI among South Korean poultry. 

Initial tests show the presence of the H5 virus among 43,000 laying hens in Gyeonggi, 42,500 native chickens in in North Jeolla, and 110,000 quail in South Chungcheong. All three of these western provinces have seen previous outbreaks in this outbreak series, which began in November of 2021. 

Up to January 12, 63 outbreaks linked to the H5N1 virus have been confirmed in South Korea since October last. Of these, 25 affected meat ducks, and 21 involved laying hens.

Following a brief hiatus, the three latest outbreaks prompted the ministry to impose an immediate 24-hour suspension on the movement of poultry and related transportation. This covered four metropolitan city regions and five provinces, as well as the Harim Co. The standstill allows for officials to inspect farms for signs of HPAI, carry out surveillance, and to undertake additional disinfection. 

Taiwan detects three HPAI virus serotypes

Since the start of February, Taiwan’s veterinary agency has registered HPAI outbreaks in poultry linked to three virus serotypes.

Following a 12-month hiatus, the H5N5 virus variant was detected last month at a farm in Chiayi county. Almost half of the 2,474 geese at the premises died, and the rest have been destroyed. Source of the virus is not known.

Over the period December 25-31, presence of the H5N1 virus serotype was confirmed in eight further poultry flocks across four regions — Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Tainan city. Each comprised between 4,677 and 61,620 birds of native chickens, laying hens, quail or meat ducks. 

Since this outbreak wave began in November of 2022, 20 outbreaks have been reported to WOAH, directly impacting more than 325,700 commercial birds.

The current disease series involving the H5N2 HPAI virus variant commenced in November of 2021. This virus has since been detected at 46 locations, affecting over 587,500 poultry.

Most recently reported to WOAH were three outbreaks starting in the period December 25-28. Affected were a total of 46,461 birds including native chickens, native ducks, and laying hens. All were kept at premises in Changhua county. 

The Chief of the Council of Agriculture has blamed a recent shortage of eggs on the global HPAI situation. Focus Taiwan reports the official saying that there have been 74 cases of H5N1 HPAI in the territory, and that 1.03 million poultry have been culled. With the government working with the poultry sector to restore the laying flock, the Vice President expects the egg shortage to ease in early March. 

Further HPAI outbreaks near Nepal’s capital city

Over the past month, Nepal’s veterinary authority has registered a total of seven HPAI outbreaks on poultry farms with WOAH. Directly affected by the H5N1 virus serotype have been almost 29,000 birds at commercial premises within about 10km of the capital, Kathmandu. 

The latest six outbreaks affected flocks each of between 700 and 1,110 birds. Among these was a mixed flock comprising chickens and turkeys at the Nepal Animal Science Institute. 

So far, more than 18,700 poultry have been culled to control the spread of the virus. Furthermore, Kathmandu Post reports a local official saying that more than 11,000 eggs, one ton of feed and 1,000 egg crates from infected premises have been destroyed, while the farms have been disinfected. 

Avian flu situation in India

Elevated mortality at a government-run poultry farm in the eastern state of Jharkhand has been attributed to HPAI, reports Press Trust of India. At the farm in Lohanchal in the district of Bokaro, the disease has hit chickens of a native breed, the Kadaknath. Within 1km of the outbreak is the affected zone, which is surrounded to a radius of 10km by a surveillance zone. 

Losses at the outbreak amounted to more than 900 birds within five days, according to Times of India.

Over the past week, India’s animal health agency has declared to WOAH that three earlier HPAI outbreak waves have been “resolved.”

One involved the H5N8 virus variant, which affected four farms in the northern state of Haryana in early 2021. The other two disease series were linked to the H5N1 serotype, and occurred in Maharashtra. In this western state, a total of 55 outbreaks in poultry were confirmed to WOAH between January of 2021 and February of last year. 

While India has several other HPAI outbreak series in different states ongoing with WOAH, the most recent previous cases were reported in ducks in the southern state of Kerala in December of last year.

HPAI news from elsewhere in Asia

For the first time since May of 2015, the H5N1 HPAI virus was detected in the Republic of Türkiye (Turkey) at the end of last month.

More recent updates to WOAH have raised the number of poultry involved in the outbreak to almost 2.97 million, all at the index farm in the west of the country. Officials have opted to cull all poultry and destroy all poultry products within a 10-km radius of the affected premises. They reported to WOAH that this decision was based on a risk assessment from screening activities.

Last week, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported the first HPAI outbreak at an egg farm in the country this year. Depopulation was carried out at the farm in Bulacan province in Central Luzon. Intensive surveillance within a 1-km radius indicates that the outbreak has been contained. However, the surveillance area has been extended to cover a 7-km radius of the outbreak.

In 2022, there was a spike in HPAI outbreaks in the Philippines between February and April. To prevent a recurrence this year, PNA reports a senior official at the Department of Agriculture warning poultry owners to be particularly alert for signs of the disease, to report unusual mortality to the authorities, and to stick to biosecurity protocols.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

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