01/07/2022
On at 10:15 am CET
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The Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed the detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) H5N1 in several wild birds found dead in the Segre river during its passage through Soses (Lleida), the first in the country so far this year.
It is the same bird flu virus that has caused massive bird deaths in Israel in recent weeks., in what local authorities consider the worst blow to wildlife in the country’s history.
As reported to the sources of the Efe ministry, it was the rural agents of the Generalitat who found four swansCygnus olor) and a stork (Ciconia ciconia) deaths in the river due to this viral disease, as part of the observation work of the National Avian Influenza Surveillance Program in Spain.
Common stork | Pixabay
Once the swabs from the dead birds were obtained, they were sent for analysis to the IRTA-CReSA laboratory, where positive results were obtained by PCR for the H5 subtype of the virus.
The results were confirmed at the Central Veterinary Laboratory (LCV) of Algete (Madrid) and it was determined that it is a strain of IAAP H5N1.
After confirmation, the rural agents of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the environment of the Government of Aragon have stepped up “immediately & rdquor; passive surveillance of wild birds in the vicinity of 10 kilometers around the outbreak, focusing on the first 3 kilometers.
Surveillance of poultry farms
From the ministry, they assure that there are no commercial poultry farms in these first kilometers and that the controls of farms located within the 10 kilometer radius are already being revised to verify biosecurity measures, inform those responsible for birds of the risk and the importance of avoiding contact with wild birds, as well than to check the clinical stage of the animals in order to detect any suspicion of infection.
Similarly, from Agriculture, they indicate that the discovery in wild birds should not involve trade restrictions on the movement of live birds or their products, “Maintain Spain’s official status free from notifiable avian influenza”.
Dead cranes in Israel | Fifth force
The H5N1 subtype is predominant in the current epizootic wave of HPAI present in northern and central Europe, where from August 1 to December 27, 2021, a total of 1,199 outbreaks were reported in 27 countries, 507 in poultry and 692 in other poultry (including wild).
At this time, and following confirming the presence of the virus in Soses, “The introduction and circulation of the HPAI virus in Spain can be considered very high. in special risk areas and high in special surveillance areas & rdquor;, it was therefore decided to assimilate the biosecurity measures to be applied in special risk areas of the country.
Therefore, at this time The use of birds of the orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes as decoys, the breeding of ducks and geese with other species of poultry, the breeding of poultry in the open air, in outdoor water tanks and the presence of poultry and other captive birds in animal assembly centers.
Dead birds in a wetland in Israel | Free code
From the ministry, they reinforce the message of the need to strengthen biosecurity measures, passive surveillance and the importance of informing official veterinarians of any suspicion of the disease.
Disaster in Israel
In Israel, this bird epidemic has already killed thousands of wild cranes and forced the country’s farmers to slaughter hundreds of thousands of chickens. The authorities have been trying for several weeks to contain what they consider to be the deadliest disaster ever in the country’s wildlife.
The epidemic in northern Israel has already killed at least 5,200 migrating cranes, a species of great ecological value that visits the wetlands of that country on its annual trips, and he forced farmers to slaughter more than half a million chickens on their farms, causing them heavy economic losses.
Authorities found no infection from birds to humans and a monitoring device is maintained to control this eventuality.
