Credit OIE
# 9565
While we await details on the `new’ strain of H5N2 detected by Taiwan’s Agricultural department, we have the official OIE report on yesterday’s announced H5N8 outbreak – the first appearance of this recently emerged avian virus in that island nation.
From the epidemiological notes:
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
- Unknown or inconclusive
Epidemiological comments
Abnormal mortality was noticed and reported to the local disease control center by the owner of the breeding goose farm. Two dead geese were taken from the farm for diagnosis and the farm has been put under movement restrictions since then. Specific RNA product of avian influenza virus was detected and subtyped as H5N8 by RT-PCR. Highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed by the National Laboratory based on sequencing analysis of HA0 cleavage site. All the geese on the infected farm will be culled. The actual number of culled geese will be available when stamping out will finish and be reported in the next follow-up report. Thorough cleaning and disinfection will be conducted after stamping out operation. Surrounding poultry farms within a 3 km radius of the infected farm are under intensified surveillance for 3 months.
