The Friedrich Loeffler Institute – Germany’s Federal Research Institute for Animal Health – says that Europe is experiencing its worst-ever bird flu outbreak and new cases are being detected daily.
This is reported by ProAgro Group, citing Agriland.
“There is no end in sight, the countries affected range from Finland to the Faroe Islands to Ireland, from Russia to Portugal,” researchers said.
Between October 1 and December 29, there were 394 cases of the virus detected in wild birds in Germany; this included swans, seagulls, ducks and geese. 46 infections were identified at German poultry farms.
During the timeframe, the Institute said that 675 infections were confirmed in wild birds and 534 infections in livestock across Europe. It was also noted that cases of bird flu were identified in mammals last year, including red foxes.
The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 strain is the most dominant, but the H5N8 type has also been detected to a lesser degree.
The institute urged poultry owners to be vigilant and ensure compliance with biosecurity measures at their premises.
