H5N2 avian influenza returns to Taiwan

In the last two weeks, new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Vietnam, Nigeria, Ghana and the Palestinian Autonomous Territories have been reported by their respective national veterinary authorities to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

Avian influenza outbreaks continue in Taiwan, Vietnam

After a recent let-up in new outbreaks, Focus Taiwan reports that more than 20,600 native chickens died or been destroyed in the last few days in the county of Changhua. The cause of disease has been confirmed as the H5N2 highly pathogenic subtype of the avian influenza virus. Following the confirmation, local poultry keepers were urged to watch out of signs of disease in their birds and to tighten up biosecurity measures by Tung Meng-chih, the director of Changhua's Animal Disease Control Center.
According to a report in Asia One, Tung suggested that the latest outbreak might have been a resurgence in the virus following a previous outbreak in January. The farm only resumed operation last month after movement restrictions were lifted in July.
The veterinary authority in Vietnam has reported three new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian flu to the OIE in the last two weeks, all of which started this month. Two of the outbreaks were in Thai Binh and Tuyen Quang, north-eastern provinces of the country. Caused by the H5N6 variant of the virus, they affected backyard flocks and a total of 2,316 birds. A larger backyard flock was hit in the other outbreak, which was in Kon Tum province, which borders Laos and Cambodia. The H5N1 virus was confirmed there.
A week ago, it was confirmed that high-pathogenic avian influenza had returned to Laos for the first time in one and a half years.
Fears of influenza being transmitted to people from poultry have led to the authorities in Indonesia clamping down on birds kept in residential areas. Officials have destroyed five cages and confiscated 24 doves in the capital. “The cages are demolished and some of the birds destroyed. Raising birds in residential could spread some diseases including bird flu,” the Head of Jakarta Central Marine Agriculture and Food Security sub-department told Berita Jakarta.

Nigeria, Ghana suffer new outbreaks

Highly pathogenic avian flu returned to Ghana a month ago following a brief respite. The veterinary authority reported 2 new outbreaks of the disease caused by the H5N1 virus in the Western region in the southwest of the country. A backyard broiler flock was affected in late September and earlier in October, a farm in another district lost 4,731 layers to the disease.
H5N1 avian flu has hit a new state in Nigeria, with the first report of an outbreak in Jigawa, which is in the north of the country and borders Niger. In that outbreak, 4,000 laying hens died or were destroyed in the first week of October.  With a history of outbreaks, Rivers state in the south of Nigeria was hit by two more cases, with one farm of 1,000 broilers and another with 2,500 layers in the following week.
A report received recently by the OIE from Palestine indicates that there was an outbreak of high-path avian flu in Gaza in early August. The presence of an H5 variant of the virus was confirmed but turmoil in the region means that further details are unavailable.

Avian influenza cases continue in Minnesota turkey farms

Highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza continues to hit commercial turkey flocks in Minnesota, as the statewide count of infected farms has reached seven.
H5N2 avian influenza on April 6 was confirmed in a third commercial turkey flock in Stearns County, Minnesota. Another H5N2 outbreak was confirmed the same day in Kandiyohi County.


Stearns County avian influenza infection
The third commercial turkey operation in Stearns County, Minnesota, to be hit with avian influenza included a flock of 76,000 turkeys, according to a news release from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). It was located within a control zone from an earlier avian influenza detection. As part of the APHIS response protocol, samples were tested by the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory as part of standard surveillance work. The APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the findings.
Earlier Stearns County avian influenza cases included a flock of 39,000 turkeys, confirmed on March 28, and a flock of 35,000 turkeys, confirmed on April 2.


Kandiyohi County avian influenza case
A flock of 26,000 turkeys in Kandiyohi County was confirmed to be infected with H5N2 avian influenza.
Samples from the turkey flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the findings.
The Minnesota Department of Health is working directly with poultry workers at the affected facilities to ensure that they are taking the proper precautions.
Both recent Minnesota avian influenza cases will be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Stay up to date by using WATTAgNet's interactive avian influenza map to track the latest outbreaks across North America. Filter the map by bird species, operation type, region and date confirmed. 

H5N2 avian influenza strikes Kansas backyard flock

Highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza has reached a backyard chicken and duck flock in Leavenworth County, Kansas, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed on March 13.  This is the first finding of H5N2 in the Central flyway.
Samples from the flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. APHIS is working closely with the Kansas Department of Agriculture to respond to the finding. State officials quarantined the affected premises and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.
As part of existing avian influenza response plans, federal and state partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in the nearby area. USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory wild bird populations.
USDA will be informing the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as well as international trading partners of this avian influenza finding. USDA also continues to communicate with trading partners to encourage adherence to OIE standards and minimize trade impacts. OIE trade guidelines call on countries to base trade restrictions on sound science and, whenever possible, limit restrictions to those animals and animal products within a defined region that pose a risk of spreading disease of concern.

Avian influenza found at Missouri turkey farm

Avian influenza has now spread into a turkey grower facility near Carthage, Missouri, theMissouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) stated. MDA on March 8 announced that it is implementing a plan for a coordinated response to the avian influenza outbreak with the USDA, state health officials and industry partners.
MDA said the strain ofavian influenza was the same – H5N2 – that was confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in Minnesota on March 5. H5N2 avian influenza has also been detected in birds in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
Preliminary tests also came back positive for the virus at another facility in Fortuna in Moniteau County. 
MDA is following its strict protocols to contain and eliminate the disease. The facilities were immediately quarantined and the remaining turkeys in the involved flocks will be depopulated and will not enter the food system. Following USDA protocols, surveillance and testing procedures are underway at properties near the affected facilities to ensure the virus has not spread.
As a precaution, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is reaching out to monitor workers who may have been exposed to the virus. MDA has also been working with the USDA, which is sending an incident management team to Missouri to assist MDA in its response. 
The specimens from Carthage were tested by the state animal health diagnostic lab in Springfield and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, confirmed the finding. MDA is awaiting confirmation on an additional specimen from Fortuna.

Minnesota poultry banned by four dozen countries

• 

  Freeimages.com/Valber Cortez

  About 48 countries have banned Minnesota poultry after avian influenza was found in a commercial poultry flock in the state.

  From WATTAgNet:
  About four dozen countries have banned poultry from Minnesota after highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza was detected in a commercial turkey flock in Pope County Minnesota. The Minnesota outbreak, which was confirmed on March 5, marks the third reported avian influenza outbreak in commercial poultry in 2015, but the first in the Mississippi flyway.
  The previous two avian influenza outbreaks in commercial flocks were reported in California.
  Among the countries banning Minnesota poultry are all European Union nations and nearly all of the countries in Central America, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
  Samples from the turkey breeder replacement flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the finding. APHIS is partnering closely with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health on a joint incident response. State officials quarantined the affected premises and the remaining birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.
  APHIS has not released the identity of the farm where the outbreak was confirmed or any company that the holding may be affiliated with.

Avian influenza found in commercial turkeys in Minnesota

Highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza has been confirmed to be present in a commercial turkey flock in Pope County, Minnesota, the USDA’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced.  Further information about the farm’s identity or any poultry companies it may be affiliated with have not yet been released.
This is the first finding of avian influenza in the Mississippi flyway, according to APHIS.
H5N2 is the same strain of avian influenza that has been confirmed in backyard and wild birds in Washington, Oregon and Idaho as part of the ongoing incident in the Pacific flyway.
Samples from the turkey breeder replacement flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the finding. APHIS is partnering closely with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health on a joint incident response. State officials quarantined the affected premises and the remaining birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the involved flock will not enter the food system.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk to people from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks, and commercial poultry, to be low. No human infections with these viruses have been detected at this time.  The Minnesota Department of Health is working directly with poultry workers at the affected facility to ensure they are taking the proper precautions.
Federal and State partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in the nearby area, following existing avian influenza response plans.
USDA is informing the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and international trading partners of this finding. USDA also continues to communicate with trading partners to encourage adherence to OIE standards and minimize trade impacts. OIE trade guidelines call on countries to base trade restrictions on sound science and, whenever possible, limit restrictions to those animals and animal products within a defined region that pose a risk of spreading disease of concern.

Avian influenza hits 2nd commercial poultry farm in California

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in a commercial poultry operation that consists of broiler chickens and ducks in Kings County, California, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) reported. The agency has not yet released any information concerning any companies that may be affiliated with the operation, which is the second commercial poultry farm in California to have a confirmed outbreak of avian influenza.
The flock experienced increased mortality, and samples were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory for testing. The samples were then sent to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory for confirmation.
On February 12, the infection was confirmed as H5N8 avian influenza. According to a report on the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) website, 114,000 birds were susceptible to the virus.
The first case of HPAI in a California commercial poultry flock was confirmed on January 24, when an H5N8 avian influenza outbreak occurred at a Foster Farms turkey operation in Stanislaus County.
CDFA and USDA have initiated an emergency disease response in connection with the Kings County outbreak. The infected premises and other commercial poultry farms in the control area have been placed under a state veterinarian quarantine. State and federal veterinarians will oversee depopulation of the remaining birds on the property in order to prevent the spread of the disease. Within the control area, movement of poultry and poultry products is prohibited unless under an official permit. Other movement such as vehicles or equipment will be monitored and require appropriate biosecurity measures.
Surveillance and outreach efforts are in effect and will continue over the next several weeks. Increased biosecurity and keeping birds housed away from open water sources that attract wild waterfowl is advised during this time.

British Columbia has first confirmed H5N1 avian influenza case

• 

  Andrea Gantz

  The Canadian poultry industry remains on alert as the nation has confirmed its first case of H5N1 avian influenza in wild birds.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza at a non-commercial farm in Chilliwack, British Columbia. This marks the first confirmation of H5N1 avian influenza in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, as all previous cases of avian influenza have been of the H5N2 serotype.
  The infected premises is under quarantine, and depopulation of the affected birds has been completed, and disposal measures are underway.
  While this is the first time the H5N1 strain of the virus has been detected during the current avian influenza outbreak in British Columbia's Fraser Valley, the H5N1 strain was found in wild birds in the U.S. state of Washington, directly south of British Columbia, in January.
  The CFIA applies the same disease control measures following detections of H5N1 and H5N2 avian influenza viruses.
  This new infected premises serves as a reminder that risks for new infections remain a concern. Monitoring and surveillance activities continue to be a very important part of controlling this outbreak. It is important that all bird owners have good biosecurity measures in place to protect their flocks from infection, the CFIA stated.
  Strict surveillance will continue in the area for 90 days after the last cleaning and disinfection is done to the satisfaction of the CFIA. If no additional cases of avian influenza are found within this period, the zone can be considered free of avian influenza.

Avian influenza cases prompt Canada to establish control zone

The Canadian Food and Inspection Agency (CFIA) has notified the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that it has established a “primary control zone” within British Columbia and is not certifying for export any live poultry, day old chicks or hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products or by-products that originated within the primary control zone. The zone was established after outbreaks of avian influenza were confirmed in British Columbia.
Unprocessed avian meat, products, and by-products originating from or transiting through the zone within the province of British Columbia are not permitted to enter the United States.  Composted manure, hunter harvested meat, and meat in passenger baggage whether shipped to the United States or accompanying returning hunters are also not permitted.
Processed avian products and by-products originating from or transiting through the zone, and imported as cargo, must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or CFIA certification. Normally, fully-cooked chicken and liquid-pasteurized eggs, for human consumption, are exported from Canada to the United States only requiring the official Canadian export health certification. These products may continue to enter with such certificates. However, dried egg white albumin or products that contain dried egg white albumen, must be accompanied by a USDA import permit and require CFIA certification that the product was treated to mitigate for HPAI when entering from British Columbia.
Food products that contain small amounts of cooked poultry such as condiments, sauces and gravies will require an import permit when originating from or transiting through the zone for export to the United States.
Processed avian meat, products, and by-products (not having a thoroughly cooked appearance or not shelf-stable) in passenger baggage, originating from or transiting through the Primary Control Zone within province of  British Columbia, must also be accompanied by a VS import permit and/or CFIA certification. The certificate must confirm that the products/by-products were treated and packaged according to APHIS requirements. APHIS requires that the meat and products be cooked by a commercial method to keep them shelf-stable without refrigeration. The meat and products must also be packaged in hermetically sealed containers.

German poultry temporarily banned from Russia

Russia has imposed temporary trade restrictions on live poultry, eggs and poultry products from Germany, following an outbreak of avian influenza in Germany.
According to Rosselkhoznadzor, the Russian federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance, temporary restrictions have been placed on the following products:


• Not heat treated poultry meat and all kinds of poultry products (not less than 70 C), feeds, feed additives for poultry (excluding feed additives of chemical and microbiological synthesis) and used equipment for poultry management, slaughter and cutting from Germany
• Live birds, hatching eggs, down and feather, poultry meat and all kinds of not heat treated (not less than 70 C) poultry products, feeds and feed additives for poultry, used equipment for poultry management, slaughter and cutting from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg of Germany.
The restrictions have been put in place after H5N8 avian influenza was detected at a turkey holding in Germany in early November. In that outbreak, an estimated 1,880 birds were infected with culling efforts following.
Germany is one of a handful of countries that have been dealing with problems centered around avian influenza. Outbreaks of avian influenza have also been reported in The Netherlands, U.K., India, Japan and Canada.
The outbreaks have prompted the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to urge the global poultry industry to increase their avian influenza prevention efforts.

H5N8 avian influenza strikes farm in South Korea

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza has struck a farm in South Korea, killing an estimated 1,200 ducks that were being raised for meat. All other susceptible birds at the farm, amounting to 19,800 ducks, were destroyed.
The avian influenza outbreak was confirmed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on September 25, after a South Korean Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency national laboratory conducted tests on the affected animals. All tests that were done by the agency came back positive.
The source of the South Korean H5N8 avian influenza outbreak is not yet known, and the veterinary authority is still in the process of implementing an epidemiological survey.
Control measures used by animal health experts included stamping out, control of wildlife reservoirs, quarantine, movement control within the country, zoning and disinfection of the infected premises. No vaccination was administered at the farm and affected animals were not treated, the OIE stated in its report.
A previous occurrence of H5N8 in the country had been reported on September 9, according to the OIE report.
South Korea had already been troubled by H5N8, as the virus struck a National Institute of Animal Science campus in March.
The OIE stated that the case is ongoing and it would submit additional reports to follow up on the latest South Korean avian influenza outbreak.

Rising concern over avian influenza in Southeast Asia

The avian influenza strain H5N6, which was first reported by Chinese authorities in April, represents a new threat to animal health and livelihoods and must be closely monitored, warns the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The strain has since emerged in Laos and Vietnam.
That the virus is highly virulent in chickens and geese and has potentially spread across a large part of Southeast Asia translates into a real threat to poultry-related livelihoods, warns the FAO.
The H5N6 outbreaks could potentially overwhelm animal health systems in Southeast Asia. An previous strain of the virus, H5N1, has already impacted the livelihoods of millions of people and caused billions of dollars of damage.
The FAO is warning countries at risk to remain vigilant. In order to prevent the strain’s further spread, the organization is recommending that governments support poultry producers in following essential biosecurity measures and standard hygiene precautions. In collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), priority actions need to be focused on prevention, early detection, immediate reporting and response.
“H5N6 is particularly worrisome,” said FAO chief veterinary officer Juan Lubroth, “since it has been detected in several places so far from one another, and because it is so highly pathogenic, meaning infected poultry quickly become sick and, within 72 hours, death rates are very high.” 

H5N6 avian influenza concerns high in Southeast Asia

A recently-emerged strain of avian influenza virus in poultry in Southeast Asia known as H5N6 represents a new threat to animal health and livelihoods and must be closely monitored, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said September 22.
Chinese authorities first reported the H5N6 virus in poultry in April 2014. Since then, the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Vietnam have also detected the H5N6 virus in poultry.
"Influenza viruses are constantly mixing and recombining to form new threats," said FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Juan Lubroth. "However, H5N6 is particularly worrisome, since it has been detected in several places so far from one another, and because it is so highly pathogenic, meaning infected poultry quickly become sick and, within 72 hours, death rates are very high."
The fact that the virus is highly virulent in chickens and geese and potentially spread across a large part of Southeast Asia translates into a real threat to poultry-related livelihoods. Poultry contributes to the incomes of hundreds of millions of people throughout the sub-region.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), which works together with FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) to support countries' responses to animal and human disease threats, is also monitoring the situation closely.
"An effective surveillance and an early detection of animal disease at source are two main keys to reduce the risk of dissemination and to ensure safe trade. The OIE calls on its 180 member countries to respect their commitment and to immediately notify on WAHIS any outbreak detected on their territory," said OIE Director-General Bernard Vallat.
Limited threat to human health
Only one case of H5N6 has been reported in humans after contact with exposure to poultry shortly after its detection in China. The person later died. There have been no other human cases.  Though the scientific community is still in the process of understanding the dynamics of this new strain, it is unlikely that H5N6 represents an immediate and significant threat to human health.
"Current evidence suggests H5N6 poses a limited threat to human health at this stage," said WHO epidemiologist Elizabeth Mumford. "It's been detected in multiple places in poultry, yet we only have one human infection reported. This suggests that the virus does not easily jump from animals to humans. Of course, we still need to remain vigilant, because prevalence in poultry and therefore human exposure could increase during the winter."
Even if the public health risks posed by H5N6 currently appears to be low, other pathogens, including other subtypes of influenza viruses such as H5N1 and H7N9, still can present cause for concern. FAO and WHO recommend consumers follow appropriate hygiene, food preparation and food safety guidelines. These include: washing hands often, cleaning utensils and surfaces used during food preparation, and eating only well-cooked poultry meat products. People should also avoid handling sick birds or those that have died of illness.
FAO and WHO are stressing that at this time it is critical for countries in Southeast and East Asia -- especially those with links to poultry production and trade -- to ramp up efforts to detect and report influenza viruses in poultry and monitor for any human infections.
All human infections with non-seasonal influenza viruses are reportable under the 2005 WHO International Health Regulations. It is critical that influenza viruses from animals and people are fully characterized in appropriate animal or human health influenza reference laboratories.
FAO urges continued vigilance, preparedness
An H5N6 outbreak or outbreaks could potentially overwhelm animal health systems in Southeast Asia. An earlier strain of the virus, H5N1, has already impacted the livelihoods of millions of people and caused billions of dollars of damage.
FAO is urging countries to remain vigilant in the face of this new viral threat to animal health. In order to prevent its further spread, the Organization is recommending that governments support poultry producers in following essential biosecurity measures and standard hygiene precautions. In collaboration with OIE, priority actions need to be focused on prevention, early detection, immediate reporting and rapid response.
FAO influenza programs have been supporting preparedness in countries throughout Asia and the world since 2004. With resources for this work dwindling, the Organization continues to call for funds to ensure international and regional cooperation and strengthen the global response to avian influenza as a threat to animal health, public health and vulnerable livelihoods.

Netherlands H5N2 avian influenza outbreak resolved, OIE reports

An outbreak of low pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza in the Netherlands has been resolved, according to a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The outbreak originated in March and had affected a farm in Bruchem, Gelderland.
An estimated 10,541 birds were susceptible in the outbreak, which was confirmed after testing was done by scientists from the national laboratory at the Central Veterinary Institute, Lelystad. While no birds died in the avian influenza outbreak, all susceptible birds were destroyed. The origin of the outbreak was listed as unknown or inconclusive.
Once the outbreak was reported, a 1 kilometer protection zone – which included eight other premises -- was established. All of those premises within that zone were screened, and no further infections of H5N2 avian influenza occurred at other farms within the zone. Other protective measures taken included movement control within the country.
Issuing an updated report on September 10, the OIE stated that the outbreak appears to be resolved, and that no further reports concerning the avian influenza outbreak in the Netherlands would be made.
Prior to the March outbreak, the most recent case of low pathogenic avian influenza reported in the Netherlands occurred in June, 2013, according to the OIE.