November 30, 2020

 

EU poultry industry affected by fast spreading avian influenza

 

The European Union (EU) poultry industry is on alert as a highly contagious avian influenza is spreading throughout Europe, with millions of birds culled in previous bird flu outbreaks resulting in major economic losses, Reuters reported.

 

Bird flu has been reported in these European countries: Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, with Croatia, Slovenia, and Poland reporting bird flu cases for the first time this week.

 

There have also been bird flu outbreaks reported in nearby Kazakhstan, Israel, and Russia.

 

At least 1.6 million chickens and ducks have either been killed by the virus or culled in Europe, believed to be spread by migrating wild birds.

 

Nearly 500,000 chickens have died or culled in the Netherlands this autumn, the biggest chicken meat and eggs exporter in Europe. Over 900,000 hens have died from bird flu in one Polish farm this week.

 

A spokeswoman for the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, Germany's federal animal disease research agency, said the risk of bird flu infection in poultry farms and rising confirmed cases detected among wild birds are higher than the past two years because of the massive appearance of various bird flu viruses in Europe. 

 

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) data showed 1.8 million poultry have died in Russia by end-October, with 1.6 million killed in one farm near Kazakhstan.

 

Most of the avian influenza cases in Europe were confirmed to be the H5N8 strain, but there are reports of H5N5 and H5N1 strains. The H5N8 strain was the cause of the European region's biggest bird flu outbreak among poultry and wild birds in 2016/2017.

 

While the EU poultry industry is concerned about the rising number of bird flu outbreaks in the region, they are now experienced in dealing with the issue.

 

Anne Richard, head of France's poultry industry lobby ANVOL, said they have improved safety, trained breeders, and improved traceability in the industry that they can contain any bird flu cases if it should arise.

 

Several poultry importing countries have imposed export bans from countries with bird flu outbreaks, adding to COVID-19 economic woes.

 

Denis Lambert, chief executive of France's largest poultry group LDC, said the bird flu outbreaks will make poultry harder to export, especially as poultry importing countries impose COVID-19 related regulations.

 

Some poultry importing countries have changed their approach from a country-wide ban, to only restricting imports from regions affected by the virus. The TASS news agency said China has limited its suspension of poultry products from Russia to only four regions affected by the virus.

 

- Reuters