OIE: Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Chinese Taipei

Information received on 12/02/2017 from Dr Tai-Hwa Shih, Chief Veterinary Officer, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan, Ministry of Agriculture, Taipei, Chinese Taipei

Summary

Report type	Immediate notification
Date of start of the event	02/02/2017
Date of confirmation of the event	11/02/2017
Report date	12/02/2017
Date submitted to OIE	12/02/2017
Reason for notification	New strain of a listed disease in the country
Causal agent	Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype	H5N6
Nature of diagnosis	Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to	a defined zone within the country

New outbreaks

Summary of outbreaks

Total outbreaks: 1

Outbreak Location

HUALIEN COUNTY ( Yuli Township )

Total animals affected

Species	Susceptible	Cases	Deaths	Destroyed	Slaughtered
Birds	3787	**	0	3787	0

Outbreak statistics

Species	Apparent morbidity rate	Apparent mortality rate	Apparent case fatality rate	Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds	**	0.00%	**	100.00%

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

Epidemiology

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments

On 7 February 2017, a batch of ducks (3,787 heads) originating from one of the farms under intensified surveillance in Hualien County was intercepted in an abattoir located in Yilan County. The duck farm is under intensified surveillance because it is within the 3 km radius of one dead young goose positive for H5N6 that was reported on 6 February 2016. The ducks were transported to Yilan County on 6 February, one day ahead of the entry into force of the ban on the dispatch of waterfowls of Hualien County to other regions of the country.
The carcasses of the ducks intercepted in the abattoir were sampled and tested using RT-PCR and gene sequence analysis by the National Laboratory (Animal Health Research Institute, AHRI). H5N6 and H5N2 subtypes HPAI were detected and confirmed by the AHRI on 11 February 2017. All of the 3,787 carcasses were condemned and destroyed, and thorough cleaning and disinfection have been conducted in the abattoir.
The farm of origin has been sampled for testing. The intensified surveillance zone has been enlarged to 5 km radius surrounding the index farm. Sampling is underway and will be completed as soon as possible in order to detect any spreading of the viruses. These control measures will be imposed on the area for at least 3 months and will be lifted only after the confirmation of the elimination of the viruses.

Control measures

Measures applied	Movement control inside the country Screening Disinfection / Disinfestation Quarantine Stamping out Zoning Vaccination prohibited No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied	No other measures

Diagnostic test results

Laboratory name and type

Animal Health Research Institute ( National laboratory )

Tests and results

Species	Test	Test date	Result
Birds	gene sequencing	11/02/2017	Positive
Birds	reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)	10/02/2017	Positive

Future Reporting

The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.