Information received on 10/12/2020 from Dr Martin Blake, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Agriculture House, Dublin, Ireland
Summary
Report type Follow-up report No. 1
Date of start of the event 29/10/2020
Date of confirmation of the event 10/11/2020
Report date 10/12/2020
Date submitted to OIE 10/12/2020
Reason for notification Recurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 06/03/2018
Manifestation of disease Clinical disease
Causal agent Highly pathogenic influenza A virus
Serotype H5N8
Nature of diagnosis Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to the whole country
Related reports Immediate notification (10/11/2020)
Follow-up report No. 1 (10/12/2020)
New outbreaks (6)
Outbreak 1 Killala, Co. Mayo, Mayo
Date of start of the outbreak 12/11/2020
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Not applicable
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered
Eurasian Curlew:Numenius arquata(Scolopacidae) 1 1 0 0
Affected population On November 12th, 2020 a Curlew (Numenius arquata) was found dead in a coastal region.
Outbreak 2 Ballybay, Co. Monaghan, Monaghan
Date of start of the outbreak 13/11/2020
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Not applicable
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered
Mute Swan:Cygnus olor(Anatidae) 1 1 0 0
Affected population On November 13th, 2020 a mute swan (Cygnus olor) was found dead near Ballybay, Co. Monaghan in an area known to be frequented by migratory birds.
Outbreak 3 Midleton, Co. Cork, Cork
Date of start of the outbreak 22/11/2020
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Not applicable
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered
Peregrin falcon:Falco peregrinus(Falconidae) 1 1 0 0
Affected population On November 22nd, 2020 a Peregrin falcon was found ill near Midleton, Co Cork and died shortly afterwards.
Outbreak 4 Ballybay, Co. Monaghan, Monaghan
Date of start of the outbreak 25/11/2020
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Not applicable
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered
Mute Swan:Cygnus olor(Anatidae) 1 1 0 0
Affected population On November 25th, 2020 a mute swan (Cygnus olor) was found dead in a lakeshore area near Ballybay, Co.Monaghan in an area known to be frequented by migratory birds.
Outbreak 5 Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Kildare
Date of start of the outbreak 27/11/2020
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Not applicable
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered
Mute Swan:Cygnus olor(Anatidae) 1 1 0 0
Affected population On November 27th, 2020 a dead mute swan (Cygnus olor) was found in a lake shore area near Celbridge, Co. Kildare.
Outbreak 6 Kilpeddar, Co. Wicklow, Wicklow
Date of start of the outbreak 01/12/2020
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Not applicable
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered
Whooper Swan:Cygnus cygnus(Anatidae) 1 1 0 0
Affected population On December 1st, 2020 a whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus)was found dead on a beach near Kilpeddar, Co. Wicklow on the east coast.
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 6
Total animals affected
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered
Eurasian Curlew:Numenius arquata(Scolopacidae) 1 1 0 0
Mute Swan:Cygnus olor(Anatidae) 3 3 0 0
Peregrin falcon:Falco peregrinus(Falconidae) 1 1 0 0
Whooper Swan:Cygnus cygnus(Anatidae) 1 1 0 0
Outbreak statistics
Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Eurasian Curlew:Numenius arquata(Scolopacidae) ** ** 100.00% **
Mute Swan:Cygnus olor(Anatidae) ** ** 100.00% **
Peregrin falcon:Falco peregrinus(Falconidae) ** ** 100.00% **
Whooper Swan:Cygnus cygnus(Anatidae) ** ** 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 6th November 2020 the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed the presence of the avian influenza subtype H5N8 in samples taken from the peregrin falcon. On 10th November sequencing tests confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8. On 18th November 2020 the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed the presence of the avian influenza subtype H5N8 in samples taken from a mute swan. On 19th November sequencing tests confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8. On 18th November 2020 the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed the presence of the avian influenza subtype H5N8 in samples taken from a curlew. On 19th November sequencing tests confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8. On 27th November 2020 the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed the presence of the avian influenza subtype H5N8 in samples taken from a peregrin falcon. On 2nd December sequencing tests confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8. On 27th November 2020 the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed the presence of the avian influenza subtype H5N8 in samples taken from a mute swan. On 8th December sequencing tests confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8. On 3rd December 2020 the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed the presence of the avian influenza subtype H5N8 in samples taken from a mute swan. On 8th December sequencing tests confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8. On 3rd December 2020 the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed the presence of the avian influenza subtype H5N8 in samples taken from a whooper swan. On 8th December sequencing tests confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8.
Control measures
Measures applied
Vaccination prohibited
No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied
No other measures
Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type Species Test Test date Result
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Eurasian Curlew real-time PCR 18/11/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Eurasian Curlew virus sequencing 19/11/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Mute Swan real-time PCR 18/11/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Mute Swan real-time PCR 27/11/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Mute Swan real-time PCR 03/12/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Mute Swan virus sequencing 19/11/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Mute Swan virus sequencing 08/12/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Mute Swan virus sequencing 08/12/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Peregrin falcon real-time PCR 27/11/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Peregrin falcon virus sequencing 02/12/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Whooper Swan real-time PCR 03/12/2020 Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) Whooper Swan virus sequencing 08/12/2020 Positive
Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.