Bird flu outbreak expands across Europe in earliest surge in a decade

EUROPE – Europe is facing an alarming resurgence of bird flu, with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) spreading faster and earlier than at any point in the past decade. 

The outbreak, which has already hit ten countries including Poland, Spain, Germany, and France, is raising fears of another crisis that could devastate poultry populations, disrupt food supplies, and drive up prices across the continent.

According to France’s animal health surveillance body (ESA), 56 outbreaks were reported between August and mid-October in the European Union and the United Kingdom, nearly double the number recorded during the same period last year. 

Most cases have been detected in Poland, the EU’s largest poultry producer, as well as in Spain and Germany. 

“All these cases in Europe show that the virus is far from gone,” said Yann Nedelec, director of French poultry industry group Anvol.

Governments move to contain the virus

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed that Belgium and Slovakia became the latest countries to report cases this week. Belgium swiftly ordered that all poultry be kept indoors after detecting infections on both commercial and hobby farms. 

“Avian flu poses a serious threat to poultry farms and our economy,” said Belgian Agriculture Minister David Clarinval. “The best way to protect our animals and prevent the spread of the virus is to adopt preventive measures, such as mandatory sheltering.”

France has followed suit, raising its national alert level to the highest tier and requiring all poultry to be confined. 

The decision came after two new outbreaks were reported in the country’s southwest, an area known for its duck and foie gras production. 

The order was issued a month earlier than in 2023 and two months earlier than in 2022, reflecting the authorities’ growing concern about the early onset of the disease. 

France has also launched its third nationwide vaccination campaign for farmed ducks, becoming the first major poultry exporter to do so, a strategy officials credit with curbing the virus’s spread last year.

Neighbouring nations are tightening their biosecurity as well. The Netherlands has reintroduced its national poultry housing order, while Germany has reported a mass die-off of more than 1,000 wild cranes, sparking warnings from conservationists of a “widespread outbreak” among migratory birds.

Global spread and economic impact

The threat is not confined to Europe. The United States is again grappling with widespread outbreaks, with nearly seven million farmed birds lost since early September, including 1.3 million turkeys, raising concerns about supplies ahead of Thanksgiving. 

Across Asia, Japan reported its first case of the season this week, while Brazil, the world’s largest poultry exporter, recently declared itself free of bird flu after a brief outbreak earlier this year.

Slovakia’s latest report underscores how quickly the virus can decimate flocks. The H5N1 strain killed 27 birds on a northern farm near the Polish border, and authorities were forced to cull the remaining 197 birds to contain the spread.

Though the World Health Organization maintains that the risk to humans remains low, experts warn that the virus’s increasing spread among mammals, such as foxes and seals, demands close monitoring. 

“Humans and mammals are generally not very susceptible to bird flu, but caution remains necessary,” said Mieke Steensels of Belgium’s national health institute, Sciensano.

As the migration season continues, veterinary officials fear more cases in the weeks ahead. The virus’s persistence, despite years of control efforts, highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing animal health, food security, and public safety in an increasingly interconnected world.

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