Bulgaria Lies beneath Black Sea / Mediterranean Flyway
# 9871
Two months ago we learned of the first appearance of H5N1 in Bulgaria since 2010, in OIE Notification Of H5N1 In Bulgaria, which was followed by Bulgaria: Additional H5N1 Outbreak Reported a few days later.
Since then Bulgaria has reported two additional outbreaks, including this latest one involving 21 dead pelicans.
First a media report, followed by the OIE notification.
Bird Flu Kills 21 Pelicans
in Srebarna
Nature ReserveSilistra, on the Danube, March 26 (BTA) - Laboratory tests confirmed that bird flu was the cause of death for 21 pelicans in the Srebarna Nature Reserve (Northeast Bulgaria), said on Thursday the Director of the Silistra Food Safety Regional Directorate, Dr. Sebahtin Halid.
The birds were removed from the pelican colony on Tuesday by a team of the reserve's security guards and experts of the Regional Food Safety Directorate.
Two protection zones have been designated. The first one covers a three-km long perimeter surrounding the outbreak area. The second zone covers a perimeter of ten km and is a surveillance area, which includes Silistra and the villages of Vetren, Aydemir, Lambrinovo, Sitovo, Popina and Polyana. Restrictions have been introduced for transporting birds and hunting wild birds in the area. The authorities will monitor for other cases of sick or dead birds and any infected domestic birds will be destroyed. PK/MY
The OIE Notification follows:
This year, in addition to seeing the robust spread of HPAI H5N8 (and H5N2) via migratory birds, we’ve also seen a strong resurgence of H5N1 in the Middle East, India, and Africa.
Last November, in The North Atlantic Flyway Revisited, we looked at the ability of seabirds to carry avian flu viruses, along with the potential for lateral creep of flu viruses across overlapping flyways.
