Romania and Bulgaria have reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, raising alarms across Europe as the region faces a seasonal surge in the deadly virus. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed the incidents on Friday.
In Romania, the H5N1 virus was identified in a flock of 120 backyard poultry in the village of Tiganesti near the Bulgarian border. The virus led to the death of 28 birds, according to a report from Romanian authorities, highlighting the immediate impact on local poultry.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria reported outbreaks of an H5-type bird flu virus on two poultry farms earlier in the week, according to WOAH. In Malko Konare, located in the Pazardzhik region, 380 birds out of a flock of 171,911 were affected. In Debelets, within the Veliko Tarnovo region, 5,420 birds out of 395,045 farm poultry succumbed to the virus, as reported by Bulgarian authorities.
