#11,988
Excluding poultry, Japan - as of 1800 hrs (local time) today - has now recorded 41 HPAI positive wild birds across 9 Prefectures. Not all of these reports have been validated as being due to H5N6, but all that have been fully tested have turned out to be this recently arrived subtype.
Japan's Ministry of Environment handles the non-farm detections of the virus (wild birds & environment), and their Information about the highly pathogenic avian influenza web page has been updated almost daily since H5N6 arrived in Japan in mid-November.Since we last checked in on Friday (see Japan: H5N6 Spreading Rapidly Via Migratory Birds), the MOE has posted 13 new reports (see below).
- 2016 December 7 for the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus confirmed positive test in the death of wild birds, Kagoshima Prefecture (H28.12. 7 18:00
- 2016 December 7 for the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus confirmed positive test in the death of wild birds Niigata Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture (H28.12. 7 14:00)
- December 6, 2016 for the type A avian influenza virus simple test positive in Aichi Prefecture captivity weakness bird (H28.12. 6 22:30)
- 2016 December 6, for highly pathogenic avian influenza wild birds due to the occurrence urgent investigation results of the investigation by a team of in Aomori Prefecture (H28.12.6 17:30)
- Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus confirmed positive test in 2016 December 6 death of wild birds, Kagoshima Prefecture, A type avian influenza virus genetic testing positive in death wild bird of Niigata Prefecture, A type avian influenza virus simple test in the death of wild birds, Ibaraki Prefecture for positive (H28.12.6 16:30)
- 2016 December 5, for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus confirmed positive test in mortality and protect birds of Kagoshima Prefecture (H28.12.5 18:30)
- For dispatch of wild birds emergency investigation team due to the bird flu outbreak or the like in the home gold at the 2016 December 5, Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture (H28.12.5 15:00)
- 2016 December 5, for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus confirmed positive test in the death of wild birds Hokkaido (H28.12.5 15:00)
- 2016 December 5, for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus confirmed positive test in the death of wild birds, Miyagi Prefecture (H28.12.5 14:00)
- For the dispatch of emergency investigation team in the highly pathogenic avian influenza-positive case in 2016 December 5, Hyogo Prefecture ducks feces of (H28.12.5 12:00)
- 2016, December 4, 2009 for the type A avian influenza virus simple test positive in wild birds in Miyagi Prefecture (H28.12.4 17:00)
- 2016 December 3 for the type A avian influenza virus simple test positive in wild birds of Nagano Prefecture (H28.12.3 16:30)
- 2016 December 3 for the highly pathogenic avian influenza wild birds due to the occurrence urgent investigation results of the investigation by a team of Niigata Prefecture (H28.12.3 14:00)
So many, that it is getting difficult to keep track (Note: Not all of the above reports have been confirmed).
Luckily, today the MOE also posted a summary chart, showing when and where 41 wild birds have tested positive for the HPAI.
As in Europe, where reports of H5N8 are coming in almost hourly, any listing is already outdated before it can be published.
Exactly why H5N6 and H5N8 appear to be spreading faster, farther, and with more virulence than we've seen before is - as yet - a mystery, although a study (see EID Journal: HPAI A(H5Nx) Viruses With Altered H5 Receptor-Binding Specificity) recently suggested:
`Altered receptor-binding properties might affect the balance between HA and NA, enable the virus to acquire different NA subtypes, and might result in altered host range and spreading.'
Regardless of the cause, neither virus appears to be slowing down. Regions and countries that have not yet been visited need to be alert to the possibility they could be next.
