Europe has experienced a significant rise in Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks, with 39 reported incidents across 13 countries since September, as per the European Commission’s Animal Disease Information System.
Hungary has been the most affected in Europe, recording eight outbreaks in wild birds, followed closely by the Netherlands with seven recent outbreaks. Other European countries witnessing HPAI outbreaks in wild birds include Austria, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Romania, Serbia, and Sweden. Additionally, Hungary reported three outbreaks in poultry, with Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, and the Netherlands also confirmed cases in this category.
This increase in HPAI cases in the Netherlands is particularly notable, occurring shortly after the province of Gelderland relaxed its regulations, no longer requiring poultry to be kept indoors.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported that 10 commercial flocks tested positive for HPAI last week. The affected birds include around 16,600 in Missouri, a 71,000-bird turkey flock in Minnesota, three turkey flocks in South Dakota totalling 183,700 birds, and a smaller flock of 4,000 birds in Montana.
These outbreaks represent a significant concern for both European and American poultry industries, highlighting the need for continued vigilance and biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of this highly contagious virus.
