Germany - Current avian influenza cases - 2020/2021

[Gert van der Hoek]

November 20, 2020: Avian influenza in wild birds in SH


Avian influenza was detected in 54 wild birds in Schleswig-Holstein - this was confirmed by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute ( FLI ). This increases the total number of confirmed cases of avian flu in Schleswig-Holstein to 223. Over 8,000 wild birds have now died of avian flu , as reported by the State Office for Coastal Protection, National Park and Marine Protection Schleswig-Holstein (LKN.SH).
Bird flu is also spreading more and more on the Schleswig-Holstein mainland, as the current figures show. The wild birds come from the following circles:

• Pinneberg
• Duchy of Lauenburg

In the district of North Friesland on the island of Pellworm, a goose keeping with around 650 animals is affected by avian influenza. This is the fourth officially known case in Schleswig-Holstein. According to the Avian Influenza Ordinance, the following measures are taken:

• A restricted area is being created within a two-kilometer radius of the excavation site
• An observation area is being created within a ten kilometer radius of the outbreak site
• There is a ban on moving live poultry in both zones

[Gert van der Hoek]

Avian influenza detected in wild ducks in Bavaria

11/20/2020


Several cases of avian influenza have been confirmed in Bavaria. According to the Environment Ministry on Friday in Munich, the disease was detected in several wild ducks in the Passau district.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Husum

Avian influenza detected in livestock on Pellworm

November 20, 2020,

Avian influenza has been detected in another livestock population in Schleswig-Holstein. Affected is a company on the North Frisian island of Pellworm with around 650 geese, as the district of North Friesland announced on Friday. According to the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), it is the H5N8 virus.

Of the approximately 650 geese in the affected enclosure, a larger number had died within a short time, according to the information. On Friday morning, all poultry keeping animals were killed and properly disposed of in accordance with the national avian influenza regulation.

In order to prevent the avian influenza from spreading to other livestock populations, the veterinary office of the North Friesland district set up a restricted area and an observation area.

[Gert van der Hoek]

First confirmed avian influenza case in NRW

Emmerich

In North Rhine-Westphalia there is the first officially confirmed case of avian influenza. The highly contagious virus was found in a wild goose that died in Emmerich.

A wild goose found dead in Emmerich has been shown to have died of avian influenza. This was the result of an analysis by the Friedrich L?ffler Institute. The animal had died on the dike. This is the first confirmed case of avian influenza in a wild bird in North Rhine-Westphalia. The highly contagious H5N8 virus was detected in the wild goose. Avian influenza was already rampant in winter 2016/17.

However, the veterinary department of the Kleve district does not set up protection zones around the site. This decision was made after assessing the possible risks because the wild goose was found in an area without a high density of poultry.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Further cases of "bird flu" in wild birds and domestic poultry in northern Germany


11/18/2020 Short messages

FLI updates its risk assessment

Since the end of October, the National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza / Avian Influenza of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) has confirmed not only a large number of wild birds but also increased cases of avian influenza in poultry holdings in northern Germany.

The events develop in a highly dynamic manner, the number of birds tested positive for HPAIV H5 continues to increase daily. Since November 4th HPAIV H5N8 is also found in poultry flocks: In Germany, 10 holdings have so far been affected, including a turkey farm with> 16,000 animals and a farm with over 50,000 laying hens. In the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea, a high number of dead water birds is still observed. In addition, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, France and Ireland reported wild bird cases and outbreaks of HPAIV H5 in farm poultry flocks.

The infections were caused by various avian influenza viruses (highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, HPAIV). Analyzes of the complete virus genome assign the currently occurring viruses to the subtype H5. A number of virus variants (H5N8, H5N5, H5N1) have been identified that are genetically related to the H5N8 viruses that appeared in Europe in 2016/2017. As with the H5 viruses from 2016/2017, there is currently no evidence that the current H5 viruses can infect humans.

The density of wild bird populations in the resting areas may increase further in the coming weeks. These conditions favor virus transmission and spread. Dead, infected wild birds are ingested by scavengers, which contribute to the spread of viruses within their range of motion and to environmental contamination. This also increases the risk of indirect entry routes into poultry farms.

The risk of further entry of HPAI H5 viruses into German poultry holdings and bird populations in zoological facilities through direct and indirect contact with wild birds is estimated to be high, especially in holdings near water bird resting places and wild bird collection areas, including arable land on which wild birds gather.

The top priority is to protect poultry flocks from entry and the possible further spread of HPAIV infections. The establishment of a functioning barrier between the habitats of wild water birds (e.g. bodies of water, fields on which geese, ducks or swans gather) and the poultry farms is essential. Housing poultry and other biosecurity measures minimize the risk of direct and indirect contact with infected wild birds.

The current risk assessment of the FLI provides more detailed information on the origin of the current viruses of subtype H5 and specific recommendations.



For download

• Risk assessment of the occurrence of HPAIV H5 in Germany, as of November 18, 2020

[Gert van der Hoek]

Avian influenza in a farm with 70,000 animals

11/17/2020

The bird flu has reached one of the largest poultry farmers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. As a spokesman for the Schwerin Ministry of Agriculture said on Tuesday, the H5N8 virus was found in a stable of the company near Gnoien (Rostock district).

The company keeps around 70,000 laying hens at several locations in the region. In order to combat the animal disease completely, all animals must be "culled" at all locations, as a spokesman for the Rostock district said on Tuesday morning. The preparations have started.

According to Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD), around 100,000 animals at livestock owners in the northeast are now affected. According to experts, this year is a very aggressive virus form of this animal disease.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Almost 6,000 wild birds perished on the west coast


Status: November 16, 2020

The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut has confirmed more than 50 other avian influenza cases in wild animals in Schleswig-Holstein.

According to the Schleswig-Holstein State Office for Coastal Protection, National Park and Marine Protection, almost 6,000 wild birds have died along the west coast in Schleswig-Holstein. That is about twice as many as less than a week ago. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute confirmed more than 50 other avian influenza cases in wild animals. This increases the total number in Schleswig-Holstein to almost 170. Wild ducks and wild geese are particularly affected, but the virus has also been detected in a sparrowhawk, a white-tailed eagle and an eagle owl.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Germany culls 16,100 turkeys after bird flu found on farm

November 16, 2020 -

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Germany has ordered around 16,100 turkeys to be slaughtered after bird flu was found on another poultry farm, authorities said on Monday.

Type H5N8 bird flu was confirmed in a farm on the island of Ruegen in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, said local government authority Landkreis Vorpommern-Ruegen.

Wild birds are believed to be spreading the disease, with some 23 cases of bird flu recorded in wild birds on Ruegen since the end of October, the authority said.

A series of outbreaks of bird flu have been reported in Germany and elsewhere in Europe in past weeks with wild birds also suspected of spreading the disease.

[Gert van der Hoek]

A second case of bird flu has occurred in Brandenburg. As the consumer protection ministry announced on Monday, a dead buzzard in the Prignitz district tested positive for the H5N8 pathogen. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) had confirmed the suspicion.

At the beginning of November, the first case of avian influenza was detected in a dead crane in the neighboring district of Ostprignitz-Ruppin. Consumer Protection Minister Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens) had pointed out that avian influenza has been increasing in Germany again since the end of October. It is important to prevent transmission to domestic poultry.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Avian influenza detected in operation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

NEUBUKOW (dpa-AFX) - The avian influenza virus H5N8 has been detected in a laying hen farm near Neubukow in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Official veterinarians and a veterinarian had taken samples there after the owner had observed symptoms of illness and laying depression in the past few days and finally found dead animals, as the Ministry of Agriculture announced in Schwerin on Sunday. Originally around 3000 animals lived in the farm. This is the largest case in the state in the season so far. How many of the animals are already dead was initially unclear, as was the point in time when the remaining animals would be killed.

"Unfortunately, what we have feared for weeks has occurred: We are dealing with an active epidemic across the country. Four out of six counties are now affected by avian influenza," said State Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) according to the announcement. In the coming week he will discuss how to proceed with the district administrators. Previously there had been several bird flu outbreaks in poultry holdings in the northeast in the past few weeks

[Gert van der Hoek]

11/9/2020 Short messages


Since the end of October, the National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza / Avian influenza of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in a number of wild birds in northern Germany and in two farms in Schleswig-Holstein. The infections were caused by various avian influenza viruses (highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, HPAIV). Genetic analyzes of the complete virus genome assign the currently occurring viruses to the subtype H5.

A number of virus variants (H5N8, H5N5, H5N1) that are genetically related to the H5N8 viruses that appeared in Europe in 2016/2017 were detected. As with the H5 viruses from 2016/2017, there is currently no evidence that the current H5 viruses can infect humans. So they are not zoonotic viruses. The current H5 viruses are only largely related to the H5N1 viruses, which are dangerous for humans and which also appeared in Europe in 2006/2007. The current risk assessment of the FLI provides more information on the origin of the current viruses of the subtype.

Phylogenetic studies of the HPAI H5 viruses, which were obtained, for example, from dead mute swans in the Netherlands near Utrecht and from a buzzard in Germany, suggest a new entry. The viruses analyzed so far belong to clade 2.3.4.4b, like the HPAIV H5N8 introduced since 2016, but are not directly phylogenetically related to the H5N8 viruses that caused the outbreaks in Europe in the first half of 2020. Instead, the viruses analyzed have a new genetic signature that shows similarities to various viruses from Eurasia in recent years. Similarities are particularly evident in the HA gene for viruses from 2016/2017. Sequence comparisons with the viruses from the Netherlands show both similar and different segments. This suggests, that the current virus strain, similar to 2016/17, allows an increased genetic reassortment (e.g. H5N5, H5N1). Based on the previous information on dead finds and the species distribution, a comparable virulence of the new reassortants to that of the HPAIV H5Nx from 2016 to 2019 can be assumed. The same applies to the zoonotic risk. So far there is no evidence that the new reassortants have a zoonotic potential.