Europe records 442 HPAI outbreaks in poultry in 2020

As more cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) emerge in Europe, France has introduced new measures to control the spread of the worst-affected part of the country. While six countries register new cases in poultry, the European total for 2020 reaches 442 outbreaks.

(sharafmaksumov | Bigstock)
(sharafmaksumov | Bigstock)

Number of HPAI outbreaks in France has reached 61, according to the agriculture ministry. As 48 of these outbreaks have occurred in the southwestern department of Landes, a new order has been passed that will allow the preventative slaughter of poultry in 13 municipalities in this department and neighboring Pyrénées-Atlantiques. This will be applied to all susceptible species within one kilometer of a confirmed outbreak, and to all waterfowl and free-range poultry within a three-kilometer radius.

Over the past week, the French agriculture ministry has officially registered 16 HPAI outbreaks with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). All these were in one of 10 districts of Landes. In each case, presence of the H5N8 HPAI virus variant has been confirmed. With a total of more than 59,600 birds involved, 15 outbreaks involved at least some ducks described as “fat ducks” or those prior to force-feeding. The same virus was also detected in one breeding flock after a drop in egg production was observed.

These latest cases bring to 35 the number of HPAI outbreaks in France registered with the OIE since early November. Mainly on the island of Corsica, the first eight outbreaks were among groups of birds at retail outlets. HPAI was first detected at a commercial farm on the mainland during the first week of December.

Authorities in France have also registered the detection of the H5N8 HPAI virus in wild birds. These have been found at nine locations across much of the country. Latest to be reported was a seabird found dead on a waterfowl farm in Landes during December.

New outbreaks confirmed in poultry in four German regions

Over the past week, Germany’s agriculture ministry has registered eight new HPAI outbreaks in poultry with the OIE. In each case, presence of the H5N8 virus variant was confirmed.

Four of the latest outbreaks were among fattening turkeys in the northwestern state of Lower Saxony. Ranging in size from around 7,000 to 13,000 birds, all these were commercial flocks in the same district, Cloppenburg.

In the northeast of Germany, two new outbreaks have been confirmed in backyard flock in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. A total of 350 birds of various types were involved in these outbreaks.

Neighboring this state in Saxony, where a small backyard flock tested positive for the same virus variant at the end of December.

And finally, for the first time, this virus has been detected in poultry in Brandenburg. Majority of birds in a mixed flock of 50 died in this outbreak.

According to national veterinary agency the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, a wild swan in Bavaria tested positive for an avian flu virus earlier this week. This may be the first indication of the presence of the disease in this southern state.

UK outbreaks reach 18

Over the past week, two new outbreaks of HPAI in poultry have been confirmed in the UK. According to the official report to the OIE, these affected two small backyard flocks in England — at Aylesbeare and Great Ellingham. These are located in southwestern county of Devon, and in Norfolk in the east of the country. Tests revealed the presence of the H5N8 HPAI virus at both premises.

In more recent updates from the agriculture ministry (Defra), the same virus has been isolated from a group of captive birds near Attleborough in Norfolk, a flock of rearing ducks near Watton (also in Norfolk), and in a backyard flock near Exmouth in Devon.

More wild birds have tested positive for the same virus in the UK. Defra has reported to the OIE a further 11 cases at seven locations, including three in Scotland.

Two more wild birds have tested positive for the H5N1 HPAI virus variant — one each in Devon and in the eastern county of Cambridgeshire. According to Defra, the virus isolated contains some gene segments from low-pathogenic avian flu viruses. It is not related to the H5N1 variant that has also caused disease in humans outside Europe.

The Netherlands, Poland register first case of HPAI in 2021

An H5 avian flu virus — suspected of being highly pathogenic — has been detected at a turkey farm in the Dutch province of North Brabant. According to the agriculture ministry of The Netherlands, around 18,000 birds at the farm near Moergestel will be culled. There are no poultry farms in the immediate area, but birds are being tested at six premises within three kilometers of the outbreak. Within a 10-kilometer radius of Moergestel are 21 farms with poultry that are now subject to a movement ban.

In the early days of 2021, Poland’s chief veterinary office reported the country’s first outbreak of HPAI in poultry for the year. Affected was a farm with 28,500 fattening turkeys in the eastern province of Lublin.

A total of 51 outbreaks were recorded in Poland during 2020, according to the same source. This total included 32 outbreaks in the first half of the year.

Outbreaks for the latter half of 2020 reached 19, as the virus was detected at a duck farm in another district of Lublin, and in a backyard flock in Lower Silesia (Dolnoslaskie) in the final days of last month.

New cases in Ukrainian poultry

For the first time in four years, H5 HPAI virus has been detected in poultry in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson. According to the official report to the OIE, it was detected in a backyard flock of 43 birds at the end of last month. There are no commercial poultry within 10 kilometers of the outbreak, reports the country’s animal health authority.

In neighboring Mykolaiv (Nikolayev), two new outbreaks have been reported to the OIE. While one of the premises affected was a backyard flock, the other was commercial farm with more than 98,000 poultry.

These bring to five the number of outbreaks of HPAI in this oblast since the start of December. The virus involved in this outbreak series is identified only as a member of the H5 family.

More European wild birds test positive for HPAI

For the first time, a wild bird in Slovenia has tested positive for the H5N5 HPAI virus. According to the official report to the OIE, this involved a swan found injured in the northwestern region of Koper, which lies on the Adriatic Sea.

Not far away — in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy — 12 more wild ducks have tested positive for the H5N8 HPAI virus at two locations. The OIE has also been informed by the Italian health ministry that no further wild birds have tested positive for the H5N1 virus variant.

Overview of the avian flu situation in Europe 2020

Over the past year, 16 states in Europe registered one or more outbreaks of HPAI in poultry with the European Commission (EC) through the Animal Disease Notification System. Total outbreaks for the year was 442. During the whole of 2019, just nine outbreaks in two countries were recorded through this system.

Accounting for 273 outbreaks in poultry, Hungary was the country worst affected by the disease in 2020. However, no cases have occurred since early June. Other states registering 10 or more outbreaks with the system last year were Poland (51 outbreaks), France (35), Germany (29), and the U.K. (15).

Among captive birds, a total of 18 outbreaks occurred across eight European countries — The Netherlands (9 outbreaks), Germany and the U.K (each with 2), and one outbreak in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Slovakia and Sweden. Germany and Slovakia registered no new cases in the second half of the year.

According to the EC, outbreaks among wild birds in Europe totaled 756 in 2020, which compares with just two (both in Denmark) for the whole of 2019.

In all 12 countries registering outbreaks, the disease is likely ongoing as new cases have been confirmed since the end of November. Recording the highest number of outbreaks was Germany (455). Other states registering 10 or more outbreaks were the U.K. (93), Denmark (76), The Netherlands (50), Irish Republic (16), and Belgium and Italy (each with 15).

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

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