#15,529
The world's major migratory bird flyways - as depicted in the above graphic - serve as a global highway for avian influenza viruses. While primarily north-south conduits, there is enough overlap to allow for considerable east-west movement as well.
Although global bird flu activity has been significantly reduced since the great European epizootic of 2016-2017, since early August we've been following reports of a resurgence of HPAI H5N8 in Russia, northern Kazakhstan, and more recently in the Middle East (see UK: DEFRA Warns On Avian Flu Threat).
Ten days ago the Netherlands reported HPAI H5N8 In Two Dead Mute Swans, and 4 days ago we learned of an outbreak at a large Dutch chicken farm in Alforst. Meanwhile, nearly 9,000 km to the east, in South Korea, officials have announced multiple detections of HPAI H5 in environmental samples (bird feces) - the first reported there in 32 months.
Despite its recent quiescence, avian flu has never really gone away. Over the the past two decades we've seen several distinct waves, the last starting 2016 (see FAO On HPAI H5's 4th Intercontinental Wave).
While HPAI H5N8 has never been reported to infect humans, it is related to several HPAI H5 viruses that have, and so we watch it carefully. These recent reports have elicited a number of warnings from agriculture departments around the world, including DEFRA in the UK, MAFRA in South Korea, and FLI in Germany.
Over the past 3 days we've seen the pace of HPAI reporting pick up - both in Europe and Asia - and two new countries (Japan & Germany) have been added to the list of reporting nations.
Our first stop is Germany, where apparently both HPAI H5N8 and HPAI H5N5 have been detected. This statement dated Oct 31st from BMEL.
Oct 31, 2020 Press release No. 216/2020
The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) informs that avian influenza has been detected in a wild duck in Hamburg, a common buzzard in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and various wild birds in Schleswig-Holstein. This is what the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) confirmed on Friday. So far it has only been a matter of individual cases.
The FLI had already pointed out at the beginning of October that migratory birds can also become infected with avian influenza in wild birds in autumn and that the risk of entry into Germany is high.
The competent authorities of the federal states are now called upon to closely monitor the situation and to intensify monitoring measures with regard to dead or sick wild birds.
Poultry farmers are also asked to take precautionary measures and monitor their stocks.
The local authority responsible for animal disease control decides on the specific measures.
The BMEL points out: Even if the virus types H5N8 and H5N5 detected in these cases have not yet been transmitted to humans, dead birds should not be touched, also to prevent the pathogen from spreading. In principle, the general hygiene and protective measures when handling poultry and wild birds must be consistently followed.
With the outbreak of avian influenza in wild birds, there are no restrictions on trade.
New reassortments can occur at anytime, and so we'll have to wait see how closely this latest HPAI H5N5 virus resembles others we've seen in the past.
Meanwhile, in Japan, HPAI H5N8 viruses have been detected in bird droppings for the first time in more than two years. Their Ministry of the Environment to raise their alert level following multiple detections of HPAI in nearby South Korea.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus test positive in wild bird droppings in Hokkaido
A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N8 subtype) was detected (positive) in wild bird droppings collected in Monbetsu City, Hokkaido on Saturday, October 24, in a wild bird droppings survey conducted independently by Hokkaido University . There was a report to that effect. In response to this report, we will strengthen the monitoring of wild birds by designating the area within 10 km around the collection point as a priority area for wild bird monitoring.
This is the first time this season that highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in Japan.
Reports of outbreaks of HPAI continue to come out of Russia, with Rostov - one of the largest poultry producing regions in Russia, and one that has been heavily impacted by avian flu in the past - reporting a major outbreak at a large poultry farm.
Avian influenza found in personal subsidiary farm of Neklinovsky district of Rostov region
10/30/2020
The Rosselkhoznadzor Administration for Rostov, Volgograd and Astrakhan Regions and the Republic of Kalmykia announces the registration of avian influenza in the Rostov Region.
On October 30, 2020, as a result of laboratory studies of pathological material of chickens, in a personal subsidiary farm (Rostov region, Neklinovsky district, Morskaya station), genetic material of the causative agent of avian influenza (RNA of influenza A virus subtype H5) was found.
The diagnosis was made by the Laboratory for the Diagnosis of ASF (African Swine Fever) and Other Especially Dangerous Animal Diseases of the Rostov Reference Center of the Rosselkhoznadzor.
At present, private farms are carrying out activities provided for by the "Rules for the Fight against Bird Influenza" approved by the Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation of March 27, 2006 No. 90.
And lastly, more media reports of avian flu from the Netherlands, with this appearing late yesterday.
Publication: Sat 31 October 2020 6.57 pm
FERWERT - Bird flu is hitting hard. On Saturday afternoon, Wim van Boekel found no fewer than 44 dead barnacle geese at Ferwert. The dead birds were found in two plots outside the dykes. Not only barnacle geese are affected by bird flu. Other birds also die from avian flu, including 7 Pied Sandpipers and a short-eared owl at Ferwert.
While it is too soon to say how big of an impact avian flu will have this fall and winter, these reports are reminiscent of the run-up to Europe's devastating 2016-2017 epizootic (see OIE: Russia - HPAI H5 In Wild & Migratory Birds), which saw a highly virulent reassorted HPAI H5N8 virus arrive in Germany in October, and spread rapidly across the continent.
Stay tuned.
