Updates on the Avian Influenza Outbreaks and the Global Poultry Industry

Published 2020년 11월 10일

Several outbreaks of different strains of Avian Influenza were reported across the world in the last few months. The Netherlands, the third-largest exporter of poultry and products derived from poultry was forced to kill more than 150K birds to control the outbreak. The UK and Japan also engaged in widespread culling and formed control zones to avoid further spread. Poultry importing countries like Taiwan and South Korea imposed a ban on poultry imports from the UK.

The global poultry and egg industry was already under pressure due to the outbreak of COVID-19 which caused national lockdowns, closure of farms, and slaughterhouses, fall in demand and stagnant trade. On top of the global pandemic, the outbreak of Avian Influenza resulted in a loss of population of poultry birds. A large number of commercially bred birds were culled as a measure to curtail the outbreak.

The Netherlands forced to cull thousands of birds to curtail the outbreak

The first outbreak was reported in October 2020 when two cases of H5N8 bird flu were confirmed in wild swans in the central Dutch province of Utrecht.
Recently, a broiler breeder from the Netherlands tested positive for H5N8 which is a strain of the Avian Influenza. The local vets have found this strain recently in dead wild birds in four Dutch provinces. It is referred to as the “endemic in the wild bird population.” 36K birds were culled to control the outbreak in the region. Another farm in the eastern Dutch town of Puiflijk and have been told to cull 200K chickens.
Another outbreak of avian influenza H5N8 at a poultry farm in Altforst which has resulted in the culling of 35K birds. There are nine other poultry farms within a 3 km radius of the infected farm in Altforst. These farms are being sampled and investigated for avian influenza. The government has imposed an immediate transport ban for poultry farms in a 10 km zone around the farm in Altforst. The ban covers poultry, eggs, poultry manure, and used litter, as well as other animals and animal products from commercial poultry farms.

The Netherlands is Europe's largest exporter of chicken meat and eggs and the third-largest exporter in the world with a total share of 8.4% in the value of global exports. The sector employs 10K people on 2K farms. Any loss to the industry due to the outbreak of Avian Influenza will be a huge economic cost for the country.

The UK forms control zones to curtail the outbreak of Avian Influenza

The low pathogenic H5N2 strain of Avian influenza was confirmed at premises near Deal, Kent. All 13K birds at the farm which were close to hatching eggs were culled.
3 km and 10 km temporary control zones were formed by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs around the infected premises near Frodsham to limit the risk of spreading the disease. The second outbreak was at a commercial broiler farm in England’s Cheshire.
The experts are working towards testing and finding out if the outbreak is linked to the virus circulating in the EU. In the past weeks, the UK has raised its bird flu threat level from low to medium.

Japan suspends chicken meat and egg exports as outbreak intensifies

More than 330K chickens were slaughtered in Japan after an outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu was confirmed on a chicken farm. The outbreak was reported for the first time in nearly three years in the country.
The Kagawa provincial government instructed the farms within a 3 km radius of the infected site to not handle birds. Farms within a 10 km radius from the infected sites are prohibited from transporting birds and eggs outside the area.
A total of 4K chickens died in a four-day period in a single infected farm. The authorities are currently inspecting chickens and eggs to see if the infections had occurred elsewhere too so that immediate action can be taken.

Actions taken by the rest of the world

Taiwan is preparing to face an outbreak of Avian Influenza as the country is expecting migratory birds flying over the country towards the Southern Hemisphere.
Warnings have been issued to western Russia and Kazakhstan over the past few months regarding a massive outbreak of Avian Influenza. These regions are known for the autumn migration route for wild waterbirds heading to Europe which will bring in different strains of the flu in the country.
The Taiwanese government has banned the import of live birds and hatching eggs from the UK after a confirmed outbreak of the H5N6 strain.
South Korea has also banned the import of poultry products from the United Kingdom. The local health authorities have already reinforced biosecurity measures by carrying out specific tests on imports of poultry and poultry products.

Sources

Avi Site. “Avian influenza forces Japan to slaughter more than 300,000 chickens”

Avi Site. “By Avian Influenza, South Korea and Taiwan embargo poultry products from the United Kingdom”

ECDC. “Avian influenza: EU on alert for new outbreaks”

BBC. “Bird flu: Culls in Dutch and German farms over outbreaks”

The Poultry Site. “Weekly poultry outlook: bird flu outbreak spreads in Europe”