[ad_1]
This is the situation of each of them, according to the health authorities:
How many countries in Europe are affected by avian influenza (H5)?
Since the first case was detected on a farm in the Netherlands on 17 October, the European Platform for Epidemiological Surveillance ESA has identified outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5 in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark. Sweden also announced Tuesday that it has detected a first outbreak on a turkey farm. In total, 158 cases of contaminated wild birds have been confirmed.
In France, the first outbreak was recorded on the island of Corsica on Monday. This involves the confinement of birds, a ban on fairs, and the release of waterfowl for wildlife. Belgium has also confined its birds.
“We see that the pressure is approaching. Three months ago, birds affected by a pathogenic virus, which migrated from the polar circle, were found in Russia and Kazakhstan, then approached the North Sea coast to spend the winter. Some of them were found. they go down further south, in Spain, “explains Arzac veterinarian François Landais, near the Franco-Spanish border.
The virus, which is transmitted through the respiratory or digestive tract through feces, has no treatment or vaccines. It is combated by applying biosecurity measures, which include confinement, control of entry and exit from the hatchery and disinfection of vehicles.
The consumption of meat, fat liver, or poultry eggs pose no risk to humans. But their export could be blocked if farms are concerned.
Is avian flu transmitted to humans?
“Swine fever and avian flu are epizootic diseases and not zoonoses: they are not transmissible to humans,” says Loïc Evain, chief veterinarian and deputy director general for food (DGAL) at the French Ministry of Agriculture.
For this reason, the National Agency for Health Safety (ANSES) calls this autumn’s avian infection “flu”, reserving the usual term – “avian flu” – for human infections with avian viruses.
What about African swine fever?
African swine fever, a contagious haemorrhagic fever transmitted to pigs by wild animals or infected vectors, arrived in Eastern Europe around 2018 after decimating entire Asian farms.
Germany, the largest pig producer in Europe, where around 30 infected wild boar remains were found in September, cannot export to China.
In France and Spain, farms are protected. “Belgium, which had only one case in August 2019 and none since then, will soon be able to regain its indene status,” hopes Evain.
What is known about COVID-19 targeting mink?
The primary concern of health authorities is in the mink created by their skin: infected with COVID-19 through humans, they can in turn infect other humans, which can have “major public health implications,” warns. ‘Organization. World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), based in Paris.
In Denmark, the largest exporter in the world, over 17 million mink will be slaughtered by the end of November. A mutation of the new transmissible coronavirus has been discovered in these mammals, which could compromise, according to the Danish authorities, the effectiveness of a future human vaccine. The mutant virus was detected in 12 people.
According to WHO, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Greece and the United States have also reported cases of SARS-CoV2 in mink.
What measures are envisaged?
The OIE requires sensitive species, such as mink and raccoon, to be monitored, as well as humans who come into contact with them.
Global coordination has been initiated around the “One Health” concept, linking the protection of human, animal and ecosystem health. Two UN agencies, FAO (agriculture and food) and WHO (health), are working on this, as is the OIE.
Source link
