Updates of Avian Influenza situation by FAO/EMPRES-AH (September 2024 – December 2024)
Xavier Roche, Animal Health Officer – FAO
FAO/EMPRES-AH is constantly monitoring the avian influenza situation worldwide and compiles information from multiple national and international sources as well as peer-reviewed scientific articles. Close collaboration with country and regional offices, the implementation of avian influenza field surveillance projects, and networks of expertise like WOAH/FAO’s OFFLU (www.offlu.org) provide access to timely information on outbreaks, surveillance findings, and genetic similarities of circulating viruses or their virologic features. This information is stored in the EMPRES Global Animal Disease Information System (EMPRES-i), a database that can be accessed online at https://empres-i.apps.fao.org/.
During the period from 10 September 2024 to 9 December 2024, at least four high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtypes (H5N1, H5N3, H5N6, H7N6) and three low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus subtypes (H5N3, H7N3, H9N2) have been reported in East and Southeast Asia and Oceania. H5Nx HPAI viruses continue to circulate in Asia and are well established in certain areas of the region.
During this period, China reported five H5N1 HPAI cases in wild birds: four cases in Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) in Taiwan Province and one case in an unspecified wild bird in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). Taiwan Province also reported seven H5N1 HPAI outbreaks affecting domestic birds including chickens and geese. In addition, six environmental samples tested positive for H5N1 HPAI virus in Hong Kong SAR (2) and Taiwan Province (4), along with two H7N3 LPAI virus detections in faecal samples collected from Anatidae species in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan Province.
Since early September, a significant increase in the HPAI activity was observed in Japan, with a total of 73 H5N1 HPAI events reported over 19 prefectures. Of these, 54 H5N1 HPAI cases were reported in wild birds including Hooded Crane (Grus monachal), Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus), Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca Penelope), and Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), among others, with 22 events occurring at the Izumi Wintering Habitat of Cranes (a Ramsar site), while seven H5N1 HPAI virus detections resulted from environmental sampling. Japan also reported 12 H5N1 HPAI outbreaks in poultry, mostly chicken farms, which affected over 1.2 million birds including those culled as part of control measures. Moreover, H5N3 LPAI virus was detected during October in a dead Eastern Spot-billed Duck (Anas zonorhyncha) in Fukushima Prefecture.
The Republic of Korea reported eight H5N1 HPAI outbreaks affecting poultry farms in seven provinces and metropolitan cities. Six H5N1 HPAI cases occurred in wild birds involving species such as Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata), Northern pintail (Anas acuta), Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), and other unspecified wild birds. As part of active surveillance efforts, the Republic of Korea reported environmental samples (wild bird faeces) positive for H5N1 HPAI (6), H5N3 HPAI (1) and H7 LPAI (1) viruses.
In Southeast Asia, Viet Nam officially reported a total of 11 H5N1 HPAI outbreaks. Eight outbreaks occurred on farms, affecting domestic birds of various species in Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Khanh Hoa, Binh Phuoc and Long An provinces, from North to South. Two H5N1 HPAI outbreaks were reported in captive felids (Tiger [Panthera tigris], Lion [Panthera leo] and Amur leopard [Panthera pardus] species) in zoos of Dong Nai and Long An provinces and one H5N1 HPAI outbreak occurred in unspecified domestic mammals in Phu Tho Province. In addition, H5N6 HPAI was reported in a duck farm in Nam Dinh Province. In Indonesia, three provinces confirmed HPAI outbreaks in domestic birds namely Central Java, East Kalimantan, and East Nusa Tenggara.
In Oceania, New Zealand reported one H7N6 HPAI outbreak in domestic chickens of a commercial farm located in Otago Region. The H7N6 strain is closely related to LPAI strains present in wild birds in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, China reported a total of nine influenza A(H9N2) human infections in Chongqing Municipality (1), and Guangdong (1), Hubei (1), Hunan (4), Jiangxi (1), and Sichuan (1) provinces, while Viet Nam reported one influenza A(H5) human infection in Long An Province.
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 have increased during the period from September to December, driven partly by wild bird winter migration. Therefore, reports of outbreaks in poultry and detections in wild birds are expected to increase over the coming months in the region alongside further cases in humans.
The list of bird species affected by H5Nx HPAI globally is available HERE with the new species reported since 2021 highlighted in orange.