Already this 12 months, 9 of Europe’s international locations have confirmed extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in business poultry. Regardless of this improvement, official knowledge factors to a dramatic discount in outbreaks on this inhabitants final 12 months in contrast with 2022.

Whereas the battle to regulate HPAI in Europe was removed from received in 2023, Europe noticed fewer HPAI outbreaks in poultry and captive birds than within the earlier 12 months. Complete reported outbreaks in wild birds, nevertheless, had been larger final 12 months than in 2022. That is in response to the most recent replace of the Animal Illness Data System by the European Fee (EC).  It covers the animal illness state of affairs in European Union (EU) member states and neighboring international locations.

Amongst poultry flocks, the entire variety of outbreaks throughout the continent was 521, recorded in 24 international locations. These totals embrace Turkiye (Turkey) and the French abroad territory of Réunion, which aren’t positioned in Europe. Nations registering probably the most outbreaks on this class had been France (158) and Hungary (148).

For comparability, 25 of the area’s states recorded a complete of two,322 outbreaks on poultry farms in 2022.

Masking non-commercial poultry, zoos, and comparable premises, the EC’s “captive birds” class totaled 99 outbreaks recorded by 15 international locations in 2023. The earlier 12 months, the corresponding figures had been 314 and 21, respectively.

In distinction, the variety of circumstances in wild chook populations reported to the EC elevated to three,559 in 2023 from 3,245 the earlier 12 months. These outbreaks occurred in 30 European international locations in 2023 — down from 33 the earlier 12 months. 

9 nations verify new farm outbreaks

As of January 14, the veterinary businesses of 9 European states had registered with the EC’s System the primary HPAI outbreaks in poultry of 2024.

Of the entire of 33, 13 had occurred in Moldova, 5 in Hungary, and 4 in Germany. In the meantime, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Poland, Slovakia, and Sweden had every confirmed between one and three outbreaks on this inhabitants. 

HPAI outbreaks in France, Germany, Poland, Sweden

In France, first HPAI circumstances of the 2023-2024 season had been confirmed on the finish of November. In accordance with the agriculture ministry, the outbreak whole has reached 9 (as of January 12). The presence of the H5N1 HPAI virus was confirmed most lately in a second duck flock and the first turkey farm, each in Vendée — a division within the western area of Pays de la Loire.

On the Vendée turkey farm, 21,650 birds had been set to be culled to forestall the additional unfold of the virus, reported France Bleu.

Up to now in 2024, 4 Polish poultry flocks have confirmed HPAI outbreaks linked to the H5N1 virus serotype.

In accordance with Poland’s chief veterinary workplace, these have instantly impacted a complete of round 102,000 business poultry. Affected have been two flocks of meat turkeys, and one every of breeding and meat geese in three provinces.

In the meantime, Germany’s nationwide veterinary reference laboratory, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute (FLI) has reported that the New Yr has introduced no let-up in HPAI.

In 2023, there had been 65 outbreaks on the nation’s farms, 9 in zoos, and 1,104 in wild birds. In December alone, outbreaks had been confirmed on 13 poultry farms. FLI famous that, for the 12 months to October, the virus was what it described as a “seabird-adapted genotype,” which had since been changed by new variants.

As of January 12, HPAI had affected six poultry flocks and 14 wild birds in Germany, in response to FLI. Amongst these had been additional outbreaks within the northern states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, in addition to the primary latest circumstances in Bavaria. This outbreak concerned a turkey flock of round 20,000, and was the primary on this southeastern state following a four-month hiatus.

Following an absence of six months, the H5N1 HPAI virus has been detected once more in a poultry flock in Sweden.

Affected was a farm within the southern county of Skåne with virtually 48,000 broiler breeders. In accordance with the official notification to the World Organisation for Animal Well being (WOAH), greater than 3,000 of the birds died, and the remainder have been destroyed.

France makes progress on vaccination

Up to now, extra than 12.4 million geese have been vaccinated towards HPAI, stories the French agriculture ministry.

Beginning in October of final 12 months, administration of the vaccine has been obligatory to business geese on the French mainland as a way of defending this extremely vulnerable group from the virus.

As of January 8, round half of the vaccinations had been utilized to the birds in Pays de la Loire, and virtually three million in Nouvelle Aquitaine — two areas within the west of the nation — and 1.5 million in neighboring Occitania. Solely within the Île-de-France area round Paris haven’t any vaccines been given. 

Captive chook outbreaks in 5 European states

Up to now this 12 months, the animal well being businesses of Austria, the Czech Republic (Czechia), Germany, Moldova, and Ukraine have registered H5N1 HPAI infections in yard poultry to WOAH.

Over the previous 10 days, the Czech authority has confirmed eight outbreaks to WOAH, whereas every of the opposite nations has reported one affected flock. 

Widespread HPAI circumstances in wild birds

As of January 14, 15 European international locations had already registered HPAI outbreaks of their respective wild chook populations to the EC’s animal illness system.

Of the entire of 76 outbreaks, Germany accounted for 22, Denmark for 11, and Romania for 10.

View our persevering with protection of the international avian influenza state of affairs.