Japan’s animal health agency recently confirmed the presence of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus at another farm, marking a resurgence in the country’s poultry industry. The outbreak, occurring more than a month after the previous one, led to the culling of over 82,000 birds to contain the infection. This outbreak in Hiroshima’s Kitahiroshima area is the latest in a series of HPAI outbreaks across Japan since November, impacting over 736,000 poultry.
In the Philippines, Leyte province witnessed its first HPAI outbreak, prompting the culling of over 60,000 chickens. The region of Eastern Visayas, where Leyte is situated, faces its initial encounter with the virus. Prompt action by local authorities included urging poultry owners to safeguard their flocks and implementing a ban on live bird imports from Leyte to neighboring Cebu province.
Meanwhile, Taiwan reported the culling of nearly 20,000 hens in Changhua county due to H5N1 infection. This marks the tenth outbreak in Taiwanese poultry flocks since November, underscoring the persistent threat of avian influenza in the region.
In India, Tamil Nadu’s state authorities advised poultry owners to avoid products from Andhra Pradesh due to HPAI outbreaks. And in Israel, four wild birds tested positive for the H5N1 variant, reflecting the virus’s impact on both domestic and wild bird populations.
On the human front, the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded additional avian influenza cases across the Western Pacific region. In Cambodia, two brothers from Kratie province tested positive for H5N1, with one succumbing to the virus. In China, four cases of A(H9N2) infections were reported in children, all linked to poultry exposure. Additionally, Vietnam confirmed a fatal H5N1 case in a 21-year-old man from Khanh Hoa province, highlighting the ongoing risk posed by avian influenza to human health.
The persistence of avian influenza outbreaks underscores the importance of proactive measures to contain the virus’s spread, both among poultry populations and to humans. Continued surveillance, swift response to outbreaks, and public awareness campaigns remain critical in mitigating the impact of avian influenza across Asia.
