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The risk of bird flu moving to previously unaffected European countries is high, according to an update released today by EFSA that shows the virus is spreading rapidly across the continent.
Over the past month, more than 300 cases have been reported in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK. Most of the detections have occurred in wild birds, although there have been some outbreaks in poultry. The new report assesses the likelihood of the virus spreading from wild birds to poultry as high.
In its previous overview, EFSA warned that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) could spread rapidly in Western Europe following outbreaks among wild and domestic birds in western Russia and Kazakhstan this summer. The region is on the autumn migration route for wild water birds to Europe.
So far, no human cases have been detected in the new outbreaks and the risk of transmission to the general public remains very low. However, the evolution of viruses must be carefully monitored to assess the ongoing risk of the emergence of viruses that can be transmitted to humans.
Nik Kriz, Head of EFSA’s Animal and Plant Health Unit, said: “Preventing further escalation of these outbreaks will require close cooperation between health, public, environmental and professional authorities – in other words, a One Health approach. – throughout Europe “.
National authorities are urged to continue surveillance of wild birds and poultry and to implement control measures to prevent human contact with infected or dead birds. Member States are also advised to apply the risk mitigation and enhanced biosecurity measures outlined in Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1136 in their high-risk areas.
Sharing complete viral genomic sequences is critical so that authorities can readily detect the emergence of new viruses or genetic mutations with properties relevant to public and animal health.
The report was produced with the support of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza.
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