Nearly 48 million animals culled in Europe’s ‘largest ever’ bird flu epidemic

The newest outbreak of bird flu is essentially the most critical epidemic in Europe on file, in accordance with well being authorities.

Over 47.7 million animals have been culled on European farms since final autumn as a result of virus, in accordance with the newest figures.

The report was revealed on Monday by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the EU Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza.

Nearly 2,500 outbreaks of bird flu had been recorded in poultry farms in the final yr, whereas greater than 3,500 circumstances had been discovered in wild birds. Another 190 circumstances have been registered in animals stored elsewhere, similar to in zoos.

The ECDC mentioned circumstances of bird flu had been recorded from Portugal in southern Europe to the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean.

A complete of 37 nations had recorded circumstances of bird flu from October 2021 to September 9, the report discovered.

Bird flu has beforehand been recorded throughout summer season however the “unprecedented” scale of infelctions means the viurs may now unfold all yr spherical.

The ECDC notes that bird flu can often infect people and result in delicate or “very extreme” diseases, however well being authorities haven’t recorded any transmission from birds to people in latest years in the EU.

The EU company has nevertheless warned that individuals who work with or are recurrently uncovered to birds could also be susceptible to an infection and have known as for enhancements to well being and security rules.

“Vigilance is required to establish infections with influenza viruses as early as potential and to tell threat assessments and public well being motion,” mentioned Andrea Ammon, director of the ECDC.