#12,733
Two weeks ago, in Switzerland: Two Dead Swans Test Positive For H5N8, we saw the announced discovery of two dead swans from the southern shores of Lake Neuchatel, near Yverdon-les-Bains (VD). This was the first detection of the virus in Switzerland since last March.
Today, the OIE has a follow up report which lists 3 dead mallards, retrieved from two separate locations, that have tested positive for the virus.The first report is once again from Lake Neuchatel, while the second comes from Lake Geneva (aka Lac Léman), some 30 miles to the south and east of the first location.
This comes on the heels of the announcement of multiple H5N8 outbreaks this summer in Northern Italy (see Italy: 3 More HPAI H5 Outbreaks Reported By The IZSV), and last weekend's report of Germany Finding H5N8 In 3 Dead Swans.
This unusual and persistent (albeit low) level of avian flu activity across Europe for this time of year likely influenced the Government of Wales decision to issue the following statement today.
(Continue . . . )All poultry keepers across the UK are being urged to remain vigilant to the threat of bird flu and take action now to reduce the risk to their flocks and the wider poultry industry this winter in a joint call from the Chief Vets of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the UK.
Wednesday 30 August 2017Simple measures can help to keep flocks disease free. All keepers – whether they run a large commercial farm or keep just a few pet chickens in their back garden – can get ahead of the game and take these simple steps to reduce the risk of disease before autumn migration of ducks and geese begins again this winter:
- keep the area where birds live clean and tidy, control rats and mice and regularly disinfect any hard surfaces. Clean footwear before and after visits
- place birds’ food and water in fully enclosed areas that are protected from wild birds, and remove any spilled feed regularly
- put fencing around outdoor areas where birds are allowed, and limit their access to ponds or areas visited by wild waterfowl
- in Great Britain, stay alert by signing up online to a free service to receive text or email alerts on any outbreaks of bird flu in the UK. You can also quickly and easily register your flock online. In Northern Ireland, visit the DAERA website for further information.
Last winter, the H5N8 strain of bird flu was found in 13 kept flocks in the UK – ranging in size from as few as nine to as many as 65,000 birds. We’ve seen a decline in the number of new cases over the summer, but the disease is still circulating in kept poultry across Europe, with Italy the most recent country to suffer a series of outbreaks. It has also recently been confirmed in a dead mute swan in Norfolk.Government is working with groups including NFUs, RSPCA, British Hen Welfare Trust, Poultry Club of Great Britain and UFU to highlight the importance of keeping up high biosecurity even though the immediate disease risk has dropped.
