More avian flu reported in Germany, France

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H5N8 outbreaks in central Europe

Today the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Germany reported 24 more outbreaks of H5N8, a highly pathogenic avian influenza. The outbreaks occurred in wild birds and waterfowl found in various locations throughout the country, including in towns along the Baltic Sea and along the Austrian border.

Several towns reported finding H5N8 in just one dead gull, goose, swan, or duck, while other places reported up to five dead birds found in a cluster. Germany first began reporting cases of H5N8 3 weeks ago, as the virus followed seasonal migration patterns that brought birds from Russia to Europe.

Avian Flu Diary (AFD), an infectious disease tracking blog, said the French Ministry of Agriculture is confirming today that H5N8 has been found on seven poultry farms and in two wild birds in that country.

The outbreaks are in in the southwest part of France, and at least two are epidemiologically linked to earlier outbreaks on farms near the town of Almayrac. These include an outbreak at a farm in Monbahus, where 4,750 birds were destroyed after 200 animals were found dead. Another 15,600 ducks will be culled on Wednesday at a farm in Monlezun, where 100 birds died from H5N8. Other outbreaks involved seagulls, swans and ducks used in hunting decoys.

Some of those outbreaks were covered today in a French agriculture ministry report to the OIE, which details six outbreaks. H5N8 has now hit poultry in four of France's departments.

In 2014, France's foie gras industry suffered a massive blow when H5N1, H5N2, and H5N9 destroyed much of poultry in the southwestern part of the country.

Also today, Poland is reporting its first cases of H5N8 on a goose farm in Lubuskie province. The virus had previously only been detected in wild birds in that country. There were 1,201 deaths from H5N8 on the farm, and an additional 638 birds were destroyed.

Lubuskie province is on the western border with Germany. The Netherlands also reported H5N8 in five wild buzzards today, while Romania reported its first case of H5N8 in a wild bird found dead in near the Black Sea, a week after the virus was found in wild swans near the country's Baltic coast.

H5N8 is currently thought to pose little threat to human health.  

H5N6 found just north of Hong Kong

Today Avian Flu Diary is also reporting that health officials in Hong Kong have detected H5N6 in bird droppings collected in Mai Po marsh, a nature preserve located 16 miles north of Hong Kong, and near the border with mainland China.

In the last 2 weeks, both Japan and South Korea have reported H5N6 in wild birds and poultry. Today's report says Hong Kong is on the East Asian-Australian Migratory Flyway, which brings thousands of birds to Hong Kong in the winter months.

The samples were collected on Nov 25 as part of standard avian influenza surveillance. Three fecal droppings tested positive for H5N6.

See also:

Dec 5 OIE Germany report

Dec 5 AFD France update

Dec 5 OIE France report

Dec 5 OIE Poland report

Dec 5 OIE Netherlands report

Dec 5 OIE Romania report

Dec 5 AFD Hong Kong update

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