Spike in EU bird flu outbreaks spark worries of wider spread to humans

A surge in bird flu outbreaks has hit poultry farms across the European Union (EU) this season, prompting concerns over a potential crisis akin to previous waves that led to the culling of tens of millions of birds and fears of human transmission.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, has devastated bird populations worldwide in recent years. The virus’s spread to mammals, including US dairy cattle and swine, and rare cases of human infection have heightened worries that it could mutate into a strain transmissible between humans, sparking a new pandemic.

Since the start of the migratory season on August 1, EU nations have reported 62 outbreaks on poultry farms, largely in the eastern region, according to data from the World Organisation for Animal Health.

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This marks a sharp increase from the seven outbreaks reported at the same point in 2023, though it remains below the 112 outbreaks reported by late October 2022.

Unlike the United States (US), where the virus has spread to nearly 400 dairy herds across 14 states this year and infected 36 people— four of whom were exposed at a commercial egg farm— the EU has not detected bird flu in humans or cattle.

Bird flu tends to be seasonal, spread primarily through wild bird droppings and contaminated materials, peaking in the fall with migratory birds before tapering off in spring.

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Hungary, as last season, has seen the largest number of outbreaks within the EU since August 1, with cases rising quickly in recent weeks.

Poland, the bloc’s largest poultry producer, has culled 1.8 million birds this season, including nearly 1.4 million from a single farm in Sroda Wielkopolska.

France, which suffered significant losses in the 2022-23 season but saw relief last year, strengthened biosecurity measures on poultry farms in mid-October due to rising cases in neighboring nations.

With inputs from agencies