Disease

Anthrax - Zambia - Update

In a follow-up to previous reports on an anthrax outbreak in Western Province, Zambia, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation report today that the human case total has risen to 67 since the outbreak began in Nov. 2016. In addition, it is reported that two people have died from the lethal bacterial disease.

Bird Flu - Europe - Update

Further reports of H5N8 avian flu outbreaks have been sent to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) from a number of European countries in the past week.

France detailed six new cases in wild birds in the past week, but also 34 separate outbreaks in poultry. Many of the poultry farm outbreaks were found through clinical symptoms, but others were detected as part of France's prevention measures, which involves pre-emptive culling of birds in some regions. Overall, over 52000 birds were destroyed on farms and over 2000 died.

In Germany, five new outbreaks were announced affecting farms of turkeys, ducks or mixed poultry in Lower Saxony, Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia. A zoo in Saxony-Anhalt and a backyard holding in Bavaria were also affected. Over 68,000 birds were destroyed and 673 were killed in these outbreaks. Neighbouring Netherlands found large numbers of wild ducks with the disease in Utrecht.

Poland found two new outbreaks on farms and two in backyard holdings, in several different regions. Over 4000 birds died as a result of these outbreaks. In Ukraine, a farm in the Odessa region and a backyard holding in Chernovtsy suffered outbreaks, with over 10,000 birds killed.

Croatia reported new outbreaks of avian flu on a farm in Zagrebacka, where 40 birds died, as well as in a number of wild birds in other areas. Nearby Serbia reported one dead wild buzzard, while the Czech Republic reported several mute swans and one backyard holding in Jihočeský as affected by the disease. Slovakia found two new outbreaks in backyard holdings in Presov and Trnava as well as some affected wild birds. In Romania, several swans were found with the disease, and one backyard farm of 46 birds was also affected.

One new outbreak was reported last week by Greece, where avian flu hit caged layers in Peloponnisos region, with 28,000 birds destroyed.

Three farms were affected by avian flu in south-western parts of Russia, where 2530 birds died and over 219,000 were culled to prevent the disease from spreading. Two affected swans were also reported by Russia.