Italy’s Newcastle disease-free status unaffected by new outbreak

The re-emergence of Newcastle disease in Italy, after having been absent since 2009, will not change the country’s Newcastle disease-free status, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. Italy’s chief veterinary officer reported the outbreak to the World Organisation for Animal Health at the beginning of March, noting that 18 cases had been identified in a susceptible population of 101 birds in the region of Tuscany. All birds either died or were destroyed. Italy has maintained its disease-free status and trade in poultry and poultry meat as the outbreak did not occur in birds included with the organization's definition of poultry.