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Source: https://www.tv2east.dk/sjaelland-og...e-fugle-naermer-sig-vaerste-saeson-nogensinde
Published today at 08:21
Bird flu is ravaging wild birds - approaching the worst season ever
Bird deaths have been found across the country due to the pending bird flu H5N1.
Thomas Albrektsen
The bird flu H5N1 is currently ravaging all over Denmark, where large flocks of birds, especially in southern and western Zealand and Lolland, have been hit hard, and poultry farmers have been forced to kill entire flocks.
Among the country's wild birds, an increasing number of birds have also been found to be infected with bird flu.
According to the Statens Serum Institut, 29 dead, wild birds have been submitted during the first two weeks of 2022, with more than half of the deaths due to the bird flu H5N1.
Last year, 760 wild birds were autopsied from the Danish nature, of which the very disease-causing bird flu was detected in 291 birds. This must be seen in the light of the figure from 2020, where 288 dead birds were autopsied. Here, 92 were found infected.
- At the moment we see that there is a lot of infection among wild birds across the country, and there have been a number of outbreaks in herds. Both in large, commercial herds, but also in small hobby herds. And it is the same virus that we find in the wild birds, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager, senior researcher in virology at the Statens Serum Institut.
Another variant of the bird flu ravaged 2005 and 2006, killing several birds. Since then, the flu among birds, according to Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager, went dormant.
But after a 10-year break, there was another major outbreak of bird flu in 2016 and 2017. This has subsequently increased.
- In the 2020-2021 season, it was absolutely extreme, and the worst you had ever seen in Europe - and we are heading in the same direction now, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager.
- The number of finds in both wild birds and herds was extremely high, she adds.
Found in at least 33 bird species
According to the Danish Ornithological Society, the bird flu in 2021 hit the peregrine falcon particularly hard, whose breeding population in Denmark is estimated to number almost 40 pairs.
From the late autumn of 2020 and a few months onwards, bird flu was also detected in dead peregrine falcons in Guldborgsund and Slagelse municipalities.
During the past year, deaths due to bird flu have been found among at least 33 species of wild birds in Denmark, according to the Danish Ornithological Society (DOF).
- It can become a major epidemic because it can spread to so many different species. Then it suggests that viruses do not make very many demands to multiply, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager
Especially among whooper swans, barnacle geese and mute swans, there are many deaths. But also peregrine falcons, buzzards and kestrel have lost their lives due to viruses.
- However, it seems that we in Denmark have been a little spared lately, where it has moved a little further south in Europe. There have been many outbreaks in Italy and France. But now it looks like we are starting to get it back to us, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager.
60,000 turkeys had to be killed
According to the Statens Serum Institut, the infection is allegedly driven by the wild birds, which may explain why the infection is currently worst in southern Europe.
In Denmark, bird flu is found in wild birds, especially in the southern and eastern part of Denmark. Many waterfowl live here, just as there are many good resting places for migratory birds.
- But we also see the infection in birds of prey, and they can contribute to it being really far around Denmark, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager.
Since 17 November 2021, there have been nine outbreaks of highly pathogenic bird flu in poultry herds in Denmark.
Published today at 08:21
Bird flu is ravaging wild birds - approaching the worst season ever
Bird deaths have been found across the country due to the pending bird flu H5N1.
Thomas Albrektsen
The bird flu H5N1 is currently ravaging all over Denmark, where large flocks of birds, especially in southern and western Zealand and Lolland, have been hit hard, and poultry farmers have been forced to kill entire flocks.
Among the country's wild birds, an increasing number of birds have also been found to be infected with bird flu.
According to the Statens Serum Institut, 29 dead, wild birds have been submitted during the first two weeks of 2022, with more than half of the deaths due to the bird flu H5N1.
Last year, 760 wild birds were autopsied from the Danish nature, of which the very disease-causing bird flu was detected in 291 birds. This must be seen in the light of the figure from 2020, where 288 dead birds were autopsied. Here, 92 were found infected.
- At the moment we see that there is a lot of infection among wild birds across the country, and there have been a number of outbreaks in herds. Both in large, commercial herds, but also in small hobby herds. And it is the same virus that we find in the wild birds, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager, senior researcher in virology at the Statens Serum Institut.
Another variant of the bird flu ravaged 2005 and 2006, killing several birds. Since then, the flu among birds, according to Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager, went dormant.
But after a 10-year break, there was another major outbreak of bird flu in 2016 and 2017. This has subsequently increased.
- In the 2020-2021 season, it was absolutely extreme, and the worst you had ever seen in Europe - and we are heading in the same direction now, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager.
- The number of finds in both wild birds and herds was extremely high, she adds.
Found in at least 33 bird species
According to the Danish Ornithological Society, the bird flu in 2021 hit the peregrine falcon particularly hard, whose breeding population in Denmark is estimated to number almost 40 pairs.
From the late autumn of 2020 and a few months onwards, bird flu was also detected in dead peregrine falcons in Guldborgsund and Slagelse municipalities.
During the past year, deaths due to bird flu have been found among at least 33 species of wild birds in Denmark, according to the Danish Ornithological Society (DOF).
- It can become a major epidemic because it can spread to so many different species. Then it suggests that viruses do not make very many demands to multiply, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager
Especially among whooper swans, barnacle geese and mute swans, there are many deaths. But also peregrine falcons, buzzards and kestrel have lost their lives due to viruses.
- However, it seems that we in Denmark have been a little spared lately, where it has moved a little further south in Europe. There have been many outbreaks in Italy and France. But now it looks like we are starting to get it back to us, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager.
60,000 turkeys had to be killed
According to the Statens Serum Institut, the infection is allegedly driven by the wild birds, which may explain why the infection is currently worst in southern Europe.
In Denmark, bird flu is found in wild birds, especially in the southern and eastern part of Denmark. Many waterfowl live here, just as there are many good resting places for migratory birds.
- But we also see the infection in birds of prey, and they can contribute to it being really far around Denmark, says Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager.
Since 17 November 2021, there have been nine outbreaks of highly pathogenic bird flu in poultry herds in Denmark.
