Bulgaria reports outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu

[tetano]

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus on a farm in the northeastern district of Dobrich, the national food safety agency said on Monday.
The virus, found on a farm in the town of General Toshevo, located near the border with Romania, would lead to the death of 140,000 birds, the agency said.
?A three-kilometer protection zone and a 10-km observation area around the livestock area were set up,? the agency said in a statement, adding that a ban on the trade and movement of domestic, wild and other birds and trade in eggs, had been imposed.
The Balkan country has also registered four cases of bird flu since October.
The virulence of highly pathogenic bird flu viruses has prompted countries such as Saudi Arabia to bar poultry imports from Bulgaria.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-birdflu-bulgaria/bulgaria-reports-outbreak-of-highly-pathogenic-h5n8-bird-flu-idUSKBN1GH1C1

[Pathfinder]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Bulgaria

Information received on 08/03/2018 from Dr Damyan Iliev, Chief Veterinary Officer & Deputy Executive Director, Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Sofia, Bulgaria

Summary Report type Immediate notification Date of start of the event 02/03/2018 Date of confirmation of the event 02/03/2018 Report date 08/03/2018 Date submitted to OIE 08/03/2018 Reason for notification First occurrence of a listed disease Manifestation of disease Clinical disease Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus Serotype H5 Nature of diagnosis Clinical, Laboratory (advanced) This event pertains to a defined zone within the country

New outbreaks (1)

Outbreak 1 General Toshevo, DOBRIC Date of start of the outbreak 02/03/2018 Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided) Epidemiological unit Farm Affected animals Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered Birds 13900 3500 3500 10400 0

Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1 Total animals affected Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered Birds 13900 3500 3500 10400 0 Outbreak statistics Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost* Birds 25.18% 25.18% 100.00% 100.00% *Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

Epidemiology Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection Unknown or inconclusive

Control measures Measures applied Movement control inside the country Surveillance within containment and/or protection zone Screening Traceability Quarantine Official destruction of animal products Official disposal of carcasses, by-products and waste Stamping out Control of wildlife reservoirs Zoning Disinfection Vaccination prohibited No treatment of affected animals Measures to be applied No other measures

Diagnostic test results Laboratory name and type Species Test Test date Result National reference laboratory for avian influenza and Newcastle disease (National laboratory) Birds real-time PCR 02/03/2018 Positive

Future Reporting The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

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http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=26128