July 21, 2014

Japan free from H5N8 bird flu as of July 2014

With effect from July 17, 2014, the H5N8 bird flu is declared to be eradicated from Japan, according to the Article 10.4.3 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

According to a follow-up report sent to the World Organisation for Animal Health, a stamping-out policy, including the destruction of all susceptible animals and disinfection in affected farms, was applied. All control measures were completed on April 16, 2014.

Active surveillance with confirmation tests, were conducted by clinical inspection, serum antibody test and virus isolation. A three-month period has passed since the application of the stamping-out policy, without any new outbreaks.

The Japanese veterinary authorities, however, have not yet been able to determine the cause of a bird flu outbreak in the Kumamoto prefecture, Kyushu, during April 2014.