The following article is based on a summary provided by Nick Lyons from the FAO Animal Production and Health Division (NSAH). Minor revisions have been made to the original article to improve clarity and align it with the guidelines established by the EAAFP.
FAO/EMPRES-AH continuously monitors the global avian influenza situation, compiling information from a variety of national and international sources, as well as from peer-reviewed scientific articles. Through close collaboration with country and regional offices, the implementation of field surveillance projects, and networks of expertise such as WOAH/FAO’s OFFLU (www.offlu.org), it provides access to up-to-date information on outbreaks, surveillance findings, and the genetic characteristics or virologic features of circulating viruses. This information is stored in the EMPRES Global Animal Disease Information System (EMPRES-i), a database accessible online at https://empres-i.apps.fao.org/.
©EMPRES-i
During the period from 9 March 2024 to 10 June 2024, three highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtypes (H5N1, H7N3, and H7N9) were reported in East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. H5Nx HPAI viruses continue to circulate in Asia and are well-established in certain areas of the region.
- Australia reported five H7N3 HPAI and one H7N9 HPAI outbreaks in poultry farms in Victoria State.
- China reported the deaths of 275 wild birds, including Pallas’s gulls [Larus ichthyaetus], in May due to H5N1 HPAI in Qinghai Province around Qinghai Lake, and 14 H5N1 HPAI outbreaks in chicken farms (13) in March-April and a goose meat farm in May in Taiwan Province. Furthermore, China reported that H5 HPAI killed 190 wild birds, including brown-headed gulls, in Senyi District, Nagqu City, Xizang Autonomous Region in May and 43 wild birds in Xiangshan County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province in June.
- The Republic of Korea reported one H5N1 HPAI outbreak in a duck meat farm in Changnyeong County, Gyeongsangnam-do. Japan reported 17 H5N1 HPAI detections in wild birds in Hokkaido (12), Iwate (1), Tochigi (1), and Hiroshima (3) prefectures in large-billed crows (21), carrion crows (6), an Eurasian jay, a mountain hawk-eagle, a peregrine falcon, an Ural owl, and a white-tailed eagle. Additionally, two H5N1 HPAI outbreaks were reported in layer chicken farms in Chiba and Hiroshima prefectures.
- Japan also reported H5N5 detections in large-billed crows in Hokkaido (5) and Iwate prefecture (4).
- In the Philippines, H5N1 outbreaks in various poultry species were continuously reported in Pampanga, Kalinga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan provinces on Luzon Island from March to June, and in a broiler breeder chicken farm in April in Leyte Province in Eastern Visayas.
- Indonesia confirmed HPAI from March to May of unknown subtypes.
- Viet Nam officially reported HPAI outbreaks in domestic birds in Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Soc Trang, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, and Vinh Phuc provinces, with Soc Trang, Tien Giang, and Vinh Long due to the H5N1 subtype.
- India reported six H5N1 outbreaks among backyard poultry in Kerala State and one in Jharkhand State on a farm.
In addition, China reported A(H5N6) and A(H9N2) human infections in Fujian (2 cases) and Guangxi (1 case). Viet Nam also reported A(H5N1) and A(H9N2) human infections in Khanh Hoa and Tien Giang provinces (1 case each).
Highly pathogenic H5N1, H5N2, H5N5, H5N6, and H5N8 viruses have demonstrated the ability to spread via migratory water birds. We consider avian influenza activity to be lower from March to June; therefore, reports of outbreaks in poultry or detections in wild birds and humans are expected to decrease over the coming months in the region.
The list of bird species affected by H5Nx HPAI globally is available HERE, with the new species reported since 2021 highlighted in orange.
