H5N1

Vietnam reports no new cases of bird flu in humans since 2014

Via Viet Nam News: VN reports no new cases of bird flu in humans since 2014. Excerpt:

Việt Nam has reported no new cases of human infection with avian influenza viruses since the second half of 2014, an agriculture official said. 

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hà Công Tuấn said Việt Nam successfully prevented the epidemic from spreading on a large scale. The infection was mainly local and only affected a small portion of poultry. 

“The number of human infections and deaths from bird flu in the country has markedly decreased year after year,” Tuấn told a conference on the National Avian Flu Control Plan for 2014-18 and 2019-25 in Hà Nội on Tuesday. 

“No new cases have been found since the final months of 2014.” 

In the ten years between 2004 and the first half of 2014, 64 people died of the A/H5N1 strain of bird flu in Việt Nam. 

The deaths made up 50.4 per cent of the 127 cases of A/H5N1 bird flu infections, said Deputy Head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department of Animal Health Đàm Xuân Thành 

Thành said the A/H5N1 bird flu was first detected in the country at the end of 2003.  

“Việt Nam was among the first countries to announce a bird flu outbreak,” Thành said. “The incident caused big losses in poultry with some 45 million animals slaughtered between 2003 and 2006.” 

Thành added that hundreds of thousands of infected poultry had been culled annually in the years since.  

In a report presented to the conference, Thành said the achievements of the National Avian Flu Control Plan for 2014-18 included basic control of avian flu among animals, having no human infections, successful prevention of the spread of A/H7N9 bird flu into the country and safe export of poultry products. 

The animal husbandry sector had recovered and maintained stable growth with 330 million animals nationwide. Pollution due to the slaughter of infected poultry had been mitigated. 

Nevertheless, he warned that the risk of other strains of avian influenza viruses entering Việt Nam was still high, especially in provinces bordering other countries. The A/H5N1 and A/H5N6 strains were relatively prevalent, some 5 per cent on average.

ECDC surveillance report: Avian influenza overview May – August 2018

ECDC has published Surveillance report: Avian influenza overview May – August 2018. The executive summary:

Between 16 May and 15 August 2018, three highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) outbreaks in poultry establishments and three HPAI A(H5N6) outbreaks in wild birds were reported in Europe. Three low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) outbreaks were reported in three Member States. Few HPAI and LPAI bird cases have been detected in this period of the year, in accordance with the seasonal expected pattern of LPAI and HPAI. 

There is no evidence to date that HPAI A(H5N8) and A(H5N6) viruses circulating in Europe have caused any human infections. The risk of zoonotic transmission to the general public in Europe is considered to be very low. 

Several HPAI outbreaks in poultry were reported during this period from Russia. The presence of the A(H5N2) and A(H5N8) viruses in parts of Russia connected with fall migration routes of wild birds is of concern for possible introduction and spread with wild birds migrating to the EU. 

Although few AI outbreaks were observed in Africa, Asia and the Middle East during the reporting period, the probability of AI virus introductions from non-EU countries via wild birds particularly via the north-eastern route from Russia is increasing, as the fall migration of wild birds will start in the coming weeks. Further, the lower temperatures in autumn and winter may facilitate the environmental survival of avian influenza viruses potentially introduced to Europe. 

ECDC: CDTR, week 36

ECDC has published Communicable disease threats report, 2-8 September 2018, week 36. The summary:

The ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) is a weekly bulletin for epidemiologists and health professionals on active public health threats. This issue covers the period 2-8 September 2018 and includes updates on poliomyelitis, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), influenza A(H5N6), listeriosis, West Nile virus, Ebola virus disease and cholera.

Hong Kong: CHP notified of human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Guangxi

Via the Centre for Health Protection: CHP notified of human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Guangxi. Excerpt:

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 20) received notification of an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Guangxi from the National Health Commission, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.        

The case involved a 42-year-old man from Laibin in Guangxi. He developed symptoms on August 10 and was hospitalised on August 15. He is now in a serious condition. The patient had contact with live poultry before the onset of symptoms.        

From 2014 to date, 20 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N6) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities.        

"All novel influenza A infections, including H5N6, are notifiable infectious diseases in Hong Kong," the spokesman said.        

Travellers to the Mainland or other affected areas must avoid visiting wet markets, live poultry markets or farms. They should be alert to the presence of backyard poultry when visiting relatives and friends. They should also avoid purchasing live or freshly slaughtered poultry, and avoid touching poultry/birds or their droppings. They should strictly observe personal and hand hygiene when visiting any place with live poultry.

China reports highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu at chicken farm: OIE

Via Reuters: China reports highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu at chicken farm: OIE.

China reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu at a farm in Qinghai province, the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday, citing a report from the Chinese agriculture ministry. 

The virus killed 1,050 broiler chickens out of a flock of 1,615 at a farm in the Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan autonomous prefecture. The remaining ones were killed and disposed of, the ministry said.  

China had reported outbreaks of H5N6 and H7N9 bird flu viruses in March.

Japan: First H5N6 mass infection among wild ground birds

Via The Mainichi: Japan's 1st deadly mass avian flu infections among wild ground birds hits crows in Hyogo. Excerpt:

ITAMI, Hyogo -- A recent spate of crow fatalities at a park here has been confirmed to be caused by the country's first known cases of deadly mass infections of avian flu among wild ground birds, raising an alarm among the Environment Ministry and other concerned parties. 

Since last fall, when the current avian flu season set in, jungle crows that were found dead at Koyaike Park in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, have accounted for some 70 percent of dead wild birds across the country that have been put to simple virus tests. Among them, at least 100 carcasses have been retrieved. While there is little chance of the avian flu virus being transmitted to humans, authorities are scrambling to determine the cause of the deadly mass infection phenomenon. 

According to the Environment Ministry and other sources, dead crows were found at the park for the first time this season on March 1. Carcasses of crows have since been retrieved one after another at the park, with the highly pathogenic H5N6 strain of bird flu virus detected in 38 of them.  

Apart from this, the Itami Municipal Government has also collected the carcasses of about 70 other birds. While the causes of their deaths have yet to be determined, most of them are believed to have died from bird flu. 

The city has cordoned off part of Koyaike Park since March, and the Environment Ministry designated an area within a 10-kilometer radius from the park as a section where wild birds are closely monitored. The designation is expected to be effective until later this month. 

Previously, domestic avian flu deaths among wild birds were mostly water birds. Since last fall, the domestic cases of birds confirmed to have died from avian flu were also predominantly water birds. An official at the Environment Ministry's Office for Wildlife Management said, "It is unusual for wild ground birds to be infected in groups at one single location."

UK: H5N6 bird flu outbreak near Bourne

Via the Rutland and Stamford Mercury: Bird flu outbreak near Bourne. Excerpt:

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Lincolnshire Trading Standards have issued a warning after cases of bird flu were discovered on farmland near Bourne.  

Defra has confirmed that H5N6 – a subtype of the species Influenza A virus – was discovered in two Greylag Geese and two wild pheasants, which were found dead on farmland near Bourne on February 28. 

A Lincolnshire Trading Standards spokesman said: “Defra conducts regular checks on wild birds and in February it discovered four deaths in Greylag Geese and wild Pheasants near Bourne.  

“As far as we are aware this is a new case of Avian Flu in wild birds.” 

The discovery has not led to any restrictions in the movement of domestic or commercial birds, but the prevention zone has been extended to cover the whole of England and 
Wales. 

The trading standards spokesman continued: “Anyone keeping poultry or birds must follow our detailed requirements on strict biosecurity, whether they have commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard 
flock."

H5N6 bird flu discovered in Guangxi province, China

Via the Express: Bird flu discovered in Guangxi Province, China. Excerpt:

The dangerous H5N6 bird flu has been detected at the duck farm in Guangxi Province.  

The strain was described as “highly pathogenic” by the OIE, the World Organisation for Animal Health. 

The Chinese Agriculture Ministry said the virus killed 23,950 ducks out of a flock of 30,462 ducks.

Avian flu outbreaks emerge across the globe

Via Poultry World, a good summary of the situation: Avian flu outbreaks emerge across the globe.

Highly pathogenic avian flu outbreaks have affected countries in Europe, Asia and Africa in the past week. Countries hit are the Netherlands, India, South Africa and Saudi Arabia. 

Dutch officials have reported that an outbreak of H5 poultry reported near the city of Oldekerk has been confirmed as reassortant H5N6, according to a report from the OIE. 

CIDRAP reported the virus killed 230 of nearly 28,000 susceptible birds, with the remaining birds culled to control the virus spread. In a separate report, officials also reported H5N6 in a wild duck found dead in North Holland.  

South Africa, which has been hit hard by avian influenza, has reported another H5N8 outbreak in backyard poultry. Further H5N8 cases have been found in seabirds in the Western Cape province.  

In Saudi Arabia, officials have reported 7 more cases of H5N8 bird flu on farms in Riyadh province, which killed nearly 38,000 birds. The remaining 450,000 susceptible birds were also destroyed. 

And in India, authorities have detected H5N1 in house crows in the city of Pardeep in Orissa state in the eastern part of the country. The event has led to the death of more than 170 crows but the source of the virus is not known.

Denmark: Bird flu discovered in dead eagle on Zealand

Via CPH Post: Bird flu discovered in dead eagle on Zealand. Excerpt:

The national veterinary institute, DTU Vet, has revealed it has discovered bird flu in a dead white-tailed eagle found near Slagelse in Zealand. 

According to the Food and Environment Ministry, the bird flu type is most likely H5N6, which is highly deadly to birds. There’s no need for the public to be overly alarmed, said the ministry. 

 “Firstly, birds of prey are the most sensitive to getting bird flu because they eat other birds, dead and alive,” John Larsen, a spokesperson for the ministry, said according to BT Tabloid. 

“Secondly, we’ve known this type of bird flu for over a year from cases in other countries like South Korea. And it hasn’t been a problem for humans.”  

Fødevarestyrelsen monitoring 

For now, the discovery won’t lead to more stringent protocol for fowl farmers, but that could change should more contaminated birds be found, such as in late 2016.  

According to Larsen, it’s the first instance of bird flu discovered in a wild bird in Denmark since April 2017. And there hasn’t been a bird flu case among kept Danish birds since February 2017.