#17,699
Every fall migratory birds - which spend their summers in their high latitude breeding areas, likely spreading and sharing a mixture of avian viruses - begin their annual southbound migration. Typically, we see outbreaks of HPAI in poultry operations, and in wild birds, in Northern Europe starting in early October.Today the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has issued a recommendation that farmers increase their biosecurity against wild birds, as they release an updated 53- page Avian influenza overview June – September 2023, and introduce an early warning `Bird Flu Radar' map showing where migratory birds are expected to cluster in the week ahead.
First their statement, after which I'll have a brief postscript.
Avian influenza: EFSA recommends increased protection of farms from wild birds
Published: 28 September 2023
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While the situation in poultry has eased over the summer, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus continued to affect seabirds in Europe, mostly along coastlines. As the autumn migratory season starts, the protection of poultry and other farmed animals from wild birds should be prioritised. Biosecurity should be enhanced in fur animal farms.
Between 24 June and 1 September 2023, HPAI outbreaks were reported in domestic (25) and wild (482) birds across 21 European countries, according to the latest report on avian influenza by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the EU reference laboratory (EURL).
Wild and domestic carnivores continued to be the most affected mammal species with Finland reporting 26 outbreaks in fur farms keeping America mink, red and Arctic foxes, and common raccoon. The most likely source of introduction was contact with wild gulls, but between-farm transmission cannot be completely excluded. Within-farm transmission occurred with some contact animals not showing any clinical signs of infection.
ECDC assessed that the risk of infection with HPAI virus in Europe remains low for the general population , and low to moderate for occupationally or otherwise exposed people to infected birds or mammals (wild or domestic). To further reduce the risk of infection, experts recommend avoiding exposure to dead or diseased seabirds or mammals.
Now available: improved Bird Flu Radar
From today on an improved version of EFSA’s Bird Flu Radar is available to everyone. New features allow users to explore weekly predictions of the probability of HPAI introduction in wild birds. Users may subscribe to receive weekly alert emails for their areas of interest. The Bird Flu Radar is closely integrated with EFSA’s Migration Mapping Tool, which shows the movements and abundance of 50 wild bird species, mainly waterbirds, in which avian influenza has been reported.
Links to science
I've not had time to properly review this latest update, but will probably blog it this weekend.
We also now have evidence of trans-Atlantic spread of avian flu from Europe to Canada, the United States, and beyond (see Viruses: Recurring Trans-Atlantic Incursion of Clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 Viruses by Long Distance Migratory Birds from Northern Europe to Canada in 2022/2023).
For twenty years we seemed to be protected against both European and Asia avian flu viruses by long distances and vast oceans, but since 2020 the virus has expanded its host range, and can now be carried long distances by more avian species.
Which is why we'll need to be on heightened alert this fall on this side of the pond as well.
