#14,603
A little over 3 months ago Taiwan Reported their 1st outbreak of Avian H5N5 virus at a duck farm in Kaohsiung, a city in southern Taiwan. Initial government reports suggested this was likely a one-off event - and that the virus had not spread - but this has since proved overly optimistic.
This (translated) press release from the Tainan City government website:
A second outbreak occurred in adjacent Pingtung county two weeks later (see Taiwan BAPHIQ: 2nd Outbreak Of HPAI H5N5), indicating that the first detection was not (as first hoped) a solitary event and a third detection at a Taipei City Abattoir was reported in mid-October (see OIE Report).Ten days ago we saw a 3rd outbreak at a chicken farm in Yanpu Township, while today we learn of a 4th outbreak - this time in in Tainan City - which has resulted in the culling of more than 8,000 chickens.
This (translated) press release from the Tainan City government website:
Mayor Huang enters the period of avian flu outbreak, asks the animal protection department to actively prevent epidemics
Tainan City culled the second bird flu case chicken of the year this year (29). It was confirmed to be H5N5 subtype avian influenza. A total of 8,209 black feather chickens were culled. Tainan Mayor Huang Weizhe instructed the Agriculture Bureau ’s animal protection department to take active precautions. The epidemic has spread, and poultry farmers are required to strengthen biosecurity and epidemic prevention, implement disinfection, heat preservation and ventilation, and personnel entry and exit control of the environment inside and outside the poultry farm to prevent the epidemic from leaking and avoid the recurrence of immunity.
After receiving the active notification from the poultry farm animal owners, the Tainan Municipal Government ’s Animal Health Protection Department immediately operated in accordance with standard operating procedures, and immediately executed culling treatment when the highly pathogenic avian influenza was diagnosed. All diseased chickens on the farm were culled and transported to incineration. The furnace was destroyed, and there was no doubt that it would flow into the market. The public can safely eat poultry meat. The H5N5 avian influenza subtype detected this time is the fourth case of avian influenza cases in Taiwan this year.
The possible source is the existence of H5N2 virus in Taiwan at this stage and the reorganization of HXN5 virus carried by wild birds, but it cannot be completely ruled out. Then, it is speculated that this subtype may be transmitted from neighboring counties and cities to Tainan by means of human, vehicle and other bird and bird transmission.
Mayor Huang Weizhe said that in order to prevent the spread of the epidemic, he has instructed the Animal Health Protection Division of the Agricultural Bureau to urgently start various intensified epidemic prevention measures and mobilize veterinary manpower to conduct a comprehensive sampling inspection and epidemic visits to poultry farms within a radius of 3 kilometers around the case site. The high-risk poultry farms around the case farms are monitored, and guidance is provided to poultry farmers to strengthen protective measures to truly prevent the risk of avian influenza virus invasion, and provide disinfectants for self-prevention and disinfection of poultry farms within a radius of 3 kilometers. Continue to dispatch disinfection vehicles to strengthen the spray disinfection work in the surrounding areas of poultry farms in this city, to minimize the virus in the environment, and to avoid another epidemic in this city.
Huang Weizhe reminded that the bird flu epidemic in Taiwan continued to occur. So far this year, 82 cases of highly pathogenic bird flu have occurred. The bird flu season is now entering the winter season. The weather in the south has a large temperature difference and it has recently rained and wet. Even more in place, poultry farmers must not relax their epidemic prevention work. They must implement biosecurity measures in their poultry farms and prevent pathogens such as bird flu from invading. The Tainan City Government will also strengthen various epidemic prevention measures to assist the industry to jointly prevent the epidemic situation. Happen again.
The origins of this reassorted HPAI H5N5 virus are still under investigation, so we don't know if this virus comes from a local reassortment, is an imported virus carried in by migratory birds, or the product of an LPAI-to-HPAI mutation.
Normally, after three months and 4 outbreaks, we'd have a better idea of the genetic make up of a newly emerged virus than we have right now. Hopefully that information will be forthcoming sooner rather than later.
HPAI H5 viruses - particularly those of clade 2.3.4.4. - have shown a propensity to reassort with other local LPAI viruses.During Europe's 2016-2017 avian H5N8 epizootic, we saw a handful of `spinoff' reassortants, including an HPAI H5N5 (see ESA: Epidemiological Update On H5N8/H5N5 In Europe). While H5N5 briefly appeared in nearly a dozen countries, it appeared to fizzle after the spring of 2017, with another reassortment - H5N6 - returning the following year in both Asia and Europe.
Normally, after three months and 4 outbreaks, we'd have a better idea of the genetic make up of a newly emerged virus than we have right now. Hopefully that information will be forthcoming sooner rather than later.
