After five months, the mandatory housing order to protect poultry from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been lifted across the United Kingdom (U.K.). This is despite two new outbreaks there, as well as 16 in Hungarian poultry flocks.
From April 18, poultry need only be confined indoors under exceptional circumstances in the U.K. to protect the birds from HPAI infections.
In England, a mandatory housing order — requiring all poultry flock owners to keep their birds indoors — was introduced in England in November of last year. The measure was introduced as increasing number of HPAI cases were detected in wild birds, and outbreaks were growing among commercial and backyard flocks. Subsequently, the administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland brought in similar measures. No such order was imposed in Scotland.
Starting this week, all free-range and organic commercial poultry in the U.K. are now allowed outdoor access again, according to the agriculture department, Defra. Only exceptions are those in restricted areas following a recent confirmed HPAI outbreak. However, strict biosecurity rules under the Avian Influenza Protection Zone (AIPZ). This was declared across the whole country in October of 2022.
In the U.K., free-range eggs accounted for 65% of all production in the latest quarter for which Defra has published statistics. With a further 3% organic eggs, the mandatory housing order for laying hens significantly impacted the national egg market. Following a derogation period during which the market designation “free range” was allowed, eggs from free-range flocks had to be labeled as “barn eggs.”
In the past two weeks, the animal health agency has registered a further two recent outbreaks in poultry with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
These included a third outbreak near Newtown in the Welsh county of Powys, and in England at Leven in Yorkshire. They bring to 178 the total number of HPAI outbreaks in U.K. poultry flocks. All linked to the H5N1 virus serotype, this covers the ongoing HPAI “season,” which began in October of 2022.
Further HPAI outbreaks on European poultry farms
So far in 2023, 261 outbreaks have been reported in commercial poultry flocks, according to the Animal Disease Information System of the European Commission (EC; as of April 14). This is an increase of 32 since the previous update dated March 31.
One or more outbreaks have occurred in 19 countries covered by the EC since the start of the year.
Based on information supplied to the EC, France still has the highest number of outbreaks at 64 so far in 2023. The French total has not changed since mid-March. Hungary’s total is 63 for the year so far, and 28 more than the March 31 update. Next come Poland (58), the Czech Republic (22), and Germany (20).
Since the EC’s previous report, Italy’s total has risen by two, and those for the Czech Republic and Germany, each by one.
Further detail on outbreaks is included in the notifications from national veterinary authorities to WOAH.
Since the start of the HPAI “season” in November, a total of 157 outbreaks have been registered with WOAH by Hungary. Of these, 125 have occurred in the southern county of Bacs-Kiskun, including nine of the most recent outbreaks.
Over the past 28 days, HPAI infections have been confirmed in poultry at three premises by Germany’s national veterinary reference laboratory, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute (FLI). Infected birds were found in the central state of Thuringia, as well as Rhineland Palatinate and Baden-Wurttemberg in the west and southwest of the country, respectively.
So far this month, three domestic birds have tested positive for the HPAI virus, according to FLI investigations. These included a turkey from Baden-Wurttemberg, a chicken from the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, and a crane from North Rhine-Westphalia in the west.
Following a single outbreak in a backyard flock, the authorities in Denmark have declared to WOAH that the disease is now “resolved.”
Further outbreaks recorded in captive birds
As of April 14, 11 European nations have notified the EC’s System of HPAI cases in “captive birds” since the start of 2022. Covering backyard and hobby poultry flocks as well as premises such as zoos, the total stands at 79 across the region for the year so far.
Affected since the start of January have been 29 premises in Germany, 25 in France, and 11 in Belgium. There have been no more than four confirmed outbreaks in each of the other countries.
Since the start of April, the Belgian and German totals have each risen by one.
Europe’s wild bird outbreak total this year approaches 1,900
So far this year, a total of 1,860 outbreaks of HPAI have already been registered through the EC’s System by 23 European states (as of April 14).
Lithuania is the latest country to record its first case in a wild bird in 2023.
With 553 since the start of January, Germany has confirmed the most outbreaks in this category. France’s total has risen to 291, followed by the Netherlands (204), Italy (160), Belgium (146), Switzerland (122), Austria (111), and Denmark (60).
Also confirming new cases of HPAI in wild birds with the EC over the past two weeks have been the Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden.
Not covered by the EC System is the U.K. In the northwest English region of Cumbria, two birds of prey have recently tested positive for the H5N1 virus serotype, according to the latest WOAH notification.
In the past few days, the International Egg Commission has published a paper assessing the future prospect of HPAI vaccination for laying hens.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
