High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) in Great Britain and Europe

Since our last outbreak assessment on 1 April 2024, there have been no reports of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5 clade 2.3.3.4b in domestic poultry in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). There have, however, been 2 HPAI H5 clade 2.3.3.4b events involving “found-dead” wild birds in Great Britain, although one was retrospectively tested from a sample collected last year. The last bird found dead and testing positive was a sparrowhawk collected on 5 April 2024. Reassuringly, no wild bird cases of HPAI H5 have been detected in Great Britain since 5 April 2024, despite some 706 found-dead bird carcases having been tested over this period and the survey sensitivity has been at its highest for both target species (Anatides and Gulls) and other seabirds. This is in stark contrast to the previous 2 summer seasons in Great Britain when numerous mass die-off events in seabirds and gulls were reported. The risk of HPAI H5 incursion in wild birds is considered to be low (rare but does occur).