Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region
Photo Credit- Wikipedia
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While avian flu outbreaks (in poultry and in humans) have been greatly subdued in China for the past couple of years, since the first of the year we've been following a revival of sorts, of HPAI H5N6 outbreaks in swan in the western province of Xinjiang (see here, here, and here).
The Asia strain of HPAI H5N6 has been the most successful avian H5 virus affecting humans in China, with roughly 2 dozen known (and often fatal) infections since 2014.
HPAI H5N6 continues to evolve, and while it hasn't spread as far and wide as its HPAI H5N1 and HPAI H5N8 cousins, last November - in EID Journal: Genetic Characterization of Avian Influenza A(H5N6) Virus Clade 2.3.4.4, Russia, 2018 - we saw the details of last winter's first detection of China's HPAI H5N6 virus in Western Russia.
Today's report (announced yesterday by the MOA), is the 5th outbreak reported since January 8th.
Swans in the Ma Division of the Eighth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps H5N6 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza epidemic
Date: 2020-01-21 16:38 Author: Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Press Office
The Information Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced on January 21 that a wild swan H5N6 subtype highly pathogenic bird flu outbreak occurred in the Ma Division of the Eighth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
On January 21, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs received a report from the China Animal Epidemic Prevention and Control Center. After confirmed by the National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory, the wild swan H5N6 subtype of the wild swan in the Daquangou Reservoir of the Eighth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps was diagnosed. Bird flu outbreak. More than 150 swans perched in the area, 19 were ill and 19 died. After the outbreak, a local person has been sent to pay close attention to the swans in the area and disinfect the surrounding environment. All sick and dead birds have been harmlessly treated.
