New cases of high pathogenic avian influenza (H5) found in wild birds in Denmark
On 27 March 2006 the Danish Veterinary and Food Research Institute detected high pathogenic avian influenza (H5) in 6 wild birds from 4 locations:
- In 2 swans (a Cygnus olor and a Cygnus sp.) and a tufted duck (Aythya fuligula) found dead at the lake Sund Søen near the town Fåborg in the southern part of Funen.
- In a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) found dead near the town Nysted on the island Lolland.
- In a tufted duck (Aythya fuligula) found dead near the town Stubbekøbing on the island Falster.
- In a rough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus) found dead near the town Skibby at Roskilde Fjord.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Research Institute will continue investigations in order to clarify whether it is the H5N1 type already detected in other wild birds in Denmark and several other EU countries.
In accordance with Commission Decision 2006/115/EC a protection zone (minimum 3 km) and a surveillance zone (minimum 10 km) have been established surrounding the locations where the infected birds were found.
The findings near the towns Fåborg, Nysted and Stubbekøbing are all on the edge of the existing surveillance zones, which therefore have been extended and protection zones have been established around these finding places. The finding near the town Skibby is in the vicinity of the previous finding in Roskilde Fjord, and the existing protection and surveillance zone are therefore not changed.
All poultry within the zones must be kept inside and all poultry holdings – including hobby holdings – must be registered. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration will inspect all poultry holdings in the protection zone in the near future in order to look for possible further spread of bird flu.
Restrictions on movement of eggs and poultry have been imposed within the zones.
All hunting within the zones is also prohibited.
Information about the positive finding has been distributed to the European Communities. Furthermore OIE will be informed.
The first finding
On 28 March 2006 the Community Reference Laboratory in Weybrigde (United Kingdom) confirmed the Danish Veterinary and Food Research Institutes detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 in a common buzzard found dead on Svinø (i.e. the first detection of high pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in wild birds in Denmark).
The virus found in Denmark is identical to the avian influenza virus found in wild birds in Germany and Poland.
As recognition of the high standards of the analysis performed by the Danish Veterinary and Food Research Institute, Weybridge states that it has full trust in the Danish laboratory diagnostics and therefore it is not necessary to send any further virus isolations from the present situation for verification in England.
Further information
On line information about the latest situation will be available on the website of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration http://www.fvst.dk/ where there is a daily update of the AI situation in Denmark.