Spain: New outbreaks of bird flu in wild birds in Catalonia

Recently, the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Algete has confirmed the positive result of highly pathogenic avian influence (HPAI) H5N1 in 5 wild birds in Catalonia. Specifically, they are 1 Mediterranean black-headed gull (Larus melanocephalus) located on the beach of Begur (Baix Empordà); 1 Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) located in Castelló d'Empúries (Alt Empordà); and 1 Audouin's Gull (Larus audouinii) and 2 Slender-billed Gulls (Larus genei) in Montsià. The Generalitat of Catalonia has indicated that, in the 10 km zone around the location of the birds, the measures established in article 5.1 of order APA/2442/2006 have been adopted, as a measure to prevent the entry of the HPAI virus into poultry farms in the area, for at least 30 days from the notification of the suspicion (07/19/2023 – Baix and Alt Empordà and 07/25/2023 Montsià). Regarding prevention measures, they explain that the use of birds of the Anseriformes and Charadriiformes orders as hunting lures has ...