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Over the weekend reports of an outbreak of H5N1 at the Skopje Zoo have emerged, with 4 employees reportedly undergoing health monitoring.
At this point there is no confirmation of any human infections, although one mildly symptomatic employee (fever & diarrhea) is scheduled to undergo testing today.
First, the official announcement from the North Macedonian Food and Veterinary Agency, after which you'll find a link to an English language news report on the monitoring and testing of employees.
Confirmed virosopathogenic strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus in the Skopje ZOO
19.10.2024
After the death of one goose located in the pond in the Skopje Zoo and the suspicion of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu), after laboratory testing of the dead bird, with laboratory results from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Skopje, from 18.10.2024, a confirmed case of the presence of a virosopathogenic strain of the Avian influenza virus H5N1.
During today's day, a competent official veterinarian carried out surveillance in the Zoo and measures were ordered to monitor the disease, humane killing and harmless removal of the following types of birds was carried out: 24 ducks, 6 geese, 5 chickens and one jackdaw. , which was present at the location. Measures have been ordered in accordance with the Law on Veterinary Health and the Rulebook on Measures for the Suppression and Eradication of the Avian Influenza Disease.
The entry and exit of animals from the zoo is prohibited, the movement of people (visitors) in the zoo is restricted, disinfection measures have been ordered, the examination of other birds present in the zoo for the presence of the bird flu virus, an increase in biosecurity measures and other measures, with the aim of suppressing the disease and preventing its spread outside the zoo in animals and in humans.
The measures will be in effect for 21 days starting today, during which time the zoo will be closed to visitors. The last cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza were in 2022, in the settlements of Gradec, Leski and Vinica, Selce in the municipality of Shtip and near Zlokucani, municipality of Karposh.
Avian influenza or avian influenza is a disease caused by the type "A" influenza virus of the Orthomyxiviridae family , which can cause heavy losses in the poultry industry and restrictions on the import and export of live birds and poultry products. Wild birds are known reservoirs for avian influenza viruses, mainly of low-pathogenic strains, so surveillance, monitoring, emergence and characterization of avian influenza viruses in wild birds are implemented globally, although the vast majority of these viruses do not cause disease.
Highly pathogenic strains of the virus are pathogenic for poultry, but as a zoonosis the disease can also be transmitted to humans.
Four Zoo employees under health watch, one to be tested for bird flu on Monday, PHI head says
Epidemiologists from the Public Health Institute and from the Center for Public Health have interviewed Skopje Zoo staff following the confirmation of an H5N1 bird flu case at the zoo.
A reminder that H5N1 is a global concern, and as fall descends across the Northern Hemisphere - and migratory birds make their annual return from their high latitude summer roosting areas - the risks of spillovers of the virus grow greater.
