More On the Bulgarian Avian Flu Outbreak In Dobrich

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The Bulgarian Agency For Food Safety has posted another update on their website on the avian flu outbreak reported yesterday (see Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Reports Avian Flu At Poultry Farm In Dobrich), and we are beginning to get more details from the local press. 

At this point the full subtype has not been announced, although we've seen outbreaks of HPAI H5N8 in this region over the past several months. 

First, we have the following (translated) statement on the Food Safety website:

Take measures following the detection of an outbreak of avian influenza in. Donchevo m. Dobrich 

14.06.2018
 
On 06/13/2018 Bulgarian Agency for Food Safety confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the holding of rearing laying hens in. Donchevo m. Dobrich. Immediately after the establishment of the disease NVS ordered to take measures in accordance with Decree № SG-103 of 21 August 2006 on measures for prevention, control and eradication of avian influenza (flu) influenza including:

1. Forced humanely killed and destroyed under official supervision of the corpses laying hens in a manner precluding spread of the disease;
2. Performing multiple mechanical cleaning and disinfection of premises for poultry, equipment, vehicles, and yards and roads in and around the poultry facility.
3. They are defined protection zone, which includes the settlements within a radius of three kilometers and a surveillance zone within a radius of ten kilometers around the outbreak of the disease. The measures in these areas are:

• a ban on trade and movement of poultry, wild, other birds and eggs for breeding;
• ban on organizing and conducting fairs, markets and exhibitions for poultry;
• a ban on releasing of birds renewal of game reserves;
• conducting a census, registration and daily clinical examinations of birds kept in settlements located in the protection and surveillance zones;
• carrying out periodic clinical examinations of birds kept in the villages on the territory of Dobrich;
• sampling for laboratory testing in any doubt about avian influenza;
• doing research and tracking over the past three weeks, which covers movements of poultry and other birds, eggs, products and animal by-products derived therefrom feed for poultry and means of transport associated with the process in the protection and surveillance zones ;
• verification for the implementation of biosecurity measures at poultry sites in Dobrich. The owners of the objects that have not adopted biosecurity measures will be penalized.
• Control the entry of people in and from farms where the birds are kept;
• strict control over the production, processing and marketing of poultry meat products from poultry meat and eggs in Dobrich.

Not mentioned in either of the two official reports we've seen, but being reported by local media, is that the affected farm is supposedly the largest egg producer in the country, where more than 550,000 birds are housed.

So far, only two barns -  involving about 35,000 birds - are reported to be  affected.  This from TVN News.

Bird flu struck the biggest Bulgarian company for production of eggs

Author: June 15, 2018 Video

Only two weeks after the secondary outbreak of bird flu in the village of Stefanovo in Dobrich kindled a new outbreak.

Is smitten largest enterprise for production of eggs in Bulgaria, which is located in the village Donchevo. It raised 550 000 laying hens, so far struck two warehouses in commodity laying hens. A destruction of 35,000 birds, as hopes of owner Ivan Ivanov have this limit contagion.

He informed the Regional Directorate for Food Safety on Tuesday, but yesterday issued an order for the destruction of dead birds flu, it has not really begun.

The owner rejected versions of deliberately infecting with the aim of favoring by insurance or benefits. According to him, they would not be enough to restore production. The farm bred 350 000 200 000 hens and breeding hens produce around 150 million. Eggs per year. Now gives bread to over 200 families.

The main reason for the emerging country outbreaks of avian ban the EC to vaccinate birds and too little spacing of 200 meters between farms categorically Ivanov. The village people today have not yet been notified.

Mayor Donchevo accidentally found out about the situation of the extraordinary session of Dobrich Municipality yesterday, which ironically was convened for the untimely disclosure of the outbreak in the village Stefanov. Official document is not received. Both epizootic commissions - regional and municipal met behind closed doors.

All commercial establishments were sent letters - eggs infected in the last two weeks, to be harvested by commercial halls and be disposed of in the shops themselves.

Determined is a 3-km protection zone, which includes the villages Bogdanovo, Donchevo and Opanets. The marketing and movement of poultry and wild birds and eggs for breeding.

Experts will monitor poultry farms in the 10-kilometer zone. They will be constantly checked by veterinarians.

Regular readers will recall that just over a year ago H5N8 contaminated poultry products shipped from a single infected turkey farm in the Rostov region of Russia sparked a massive months-long operation to remove potentially tainted products from their food chain.

A few blogs on that incident include:

Rosselkhoznador Investigation Into HPAI Contaminated Meat Distribution & Sale

Rosselkhoznador: HPAI Contaminated Poultry Shipped To At Least 9 Regions Of Russia

Russia: Rosselkhoznadzor Finds More HPAI Contaminated Meat In Retail Stores

The concern then was less about human infection with the H5N8 virus - which has never been documented - and more about preventing the inadvertent spread of the virus to farms or to wild birds in other regions of the country.

And those are essentially the same concerns today in Bulgaria, as orders have gone out to destroy all eggs recently shipped from the afflicted farm.  

This (translated) report from Topnovini.bg.

Imposed a prohibition on eggs produced on a farm in. Donchevo


Outlined measures to suppress the outbreak of bird flu in Dobrich farm

Imposed a prohibition on eggs produced on the farm in the village of Dobrich Donchevo where there has been an outbreak of influenza. Letters were sent to all outlets, charge the eggs from the facility in the past two weeks, forbidden to sell products will be disposed of in stores, the press office of the regional government.

At a meeting of the Regional epizootic commission has identified measures to suppress the outbreak of avian influenza in. Donchevo, Dobrich region.

Holdings is located in 10 km zone defined on occasion found fireplace for the second time on a farm in. Stefanovo, said Dr. Kamenov in his report. Holding in. Donchevo is divided into different sectors.

Sunday evening veterinarian farm noticed increased mortality in one sector. On Sunday, there was again a large number of dead birds than usual. This gave rise to the veterinary specialist to a signal for increased mortality in the subject, were immediately taken and sampled.

Their results have confirmed the presence of influenza type H5 while awaiting the results of the second part of the virus, added Dr. Kamenov. Increased mortality was recorded in the production halls, where there is a total of about 320 thousand. Birds. Throughout holding birds are total 551 300 units.

According to the regulations and the regulations are taken immediate action. The object is divided into sectors introduced is increased biosecurity. Today we move on to the humane killing of birds in two of the rooms, as in every one of them has about 16 thousand. Number of birds. In parallel, monitor the condition of hens in other rooms. Imposed a foreclosure and produced eggs. Letters were sent to all outlets stocked eggs otfermata over the past two weeks.

Dr. Anelia Andonova clarify that these eggs are forbidden for sale and will be disposed of in commercial establishments on the ground. The very birds on the farm will be liquidated in the incinerator site, which is expected within today be delivered.

        (Continue . . . )


While likely not a human health concern - given the damage to Europe's poultry industry from their record setting H5N8 2016-17 epizootic - these measures are quite understandable.

Stay tuned.