Report type

Immediate notification (Final report)

Date of start of the event

25/11/2016

Date of confirmation of the event

05/12/2016

Report date

05/12/2016

Date submitted to OIE

06/12/2016

Date event resolved

25/11/2016

Reason for notification

Reoccurrence of a listed disease

Date of previous occurrence

14/02/2016

Manifestation of disease

Sub-clinical infection

Causal agent

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

Serotype

H5N6

Nature of diagnosis

Laboratory (advanced)

This event pertains to

the whole country

Summary of outbreaks

Total outbreaks: 1

Outbreak Location

• HONG KONG ( Mai Po, Yuen Long )

Total animals affected

Outbreak statistics

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter;
** Not calculated because of missing information;

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

• Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments

An intensive surveillance system is in place for avian influenza virus, including screening, at Mai Po Nature Reserve in Hong Kong. Three environmental samples were collected for the routine academic surveillance study by University of Hong Kong on 25 November 2016 and subsequently tested positive for H5N6. Additional sequencing results showed that these samples contain the DNA of Anas acuta (Northern pintail). The date of the end of the outbreak is the same as the date the samples were taken (25 November 2016).

Measures applied

• Screening
• Vaccination permitted (if a vaccine exists)
• No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied

• No other measures

Laboratory name and type

Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong ( Regional Reference Laboratory )

Tests and results

The event is resolved. No more reports will be submitted.