Rapid Risk Assessment: Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) in Europe – update, 20 November 2014

On 6 November 2014, German authorities reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus A(H5N8) at a holding with 31 000 fattening turkeys in the north-east of Germany. This virus has been detected among wild birds in Asia where it has caused several outbreaks on commercial poultry farms in South Korea, Japan and China but this is the first time it has been detected in Europe.

Culling of the affected poultry is ongoing or completed, protection and surveillance zones have been established and investigations initiated to analyse how the birds became infected. Persons in direct contact with infected poultry before or during culling and disposal, including poultry workers, should be monitored for ten days.