Information received on 23/01/2021 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. 7
Date of start of the event
29/10/2020
Date of confirmation of the event
10/11/2020
Report date
22/01/2021
Date submitted to OIE
23/01/2021
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)
Follow-up report No. 2 (12/12/2020)
Follow-up report No. 3 (13/12/2020)
Follow-up report No. 4 (23/12/2020)
Follow-up report No. 5 (08/01/2021)
Follow-up report No. 6 (19/01/2021)
Follow-up report No. 7 (22/01/2021)
New outbreaks (3)

Outbreak 1
Townparks, Ardee, Co. Louth, Louth
Date of start of the outbreak
17/12/2020
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 17th 2020, a whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus)was found dead near a riverbank.
Outbreak 2
Silverhill, Ardee, Co. Louth, Louth
Date of start of the outbreak
21/12/2020
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 21st 2020, a whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) was found dead near a riverbank and was submitted to the Regional Veterinary Laboratory.
Outbreak 3
Middle Ring Pier, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, Cork
Date of start of the outbreak
29/12/2020
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 29th, a whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) was found dead in a coastal area.
Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 3
Total animals affected
Species
Susceptible
Cases
Deaths
Killed and disposed of
Slaughtered
Whooper Swan:Cygnus cygnus(Anatidae)

3
3
0
0
Outbreak statistics
Species
Apparent morbidity rate
Apparent mortality rate
Apparent case fatality rate
Proportion susceptible animals lost*
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
Test results on pathogenicity were inconclusive due to very low viral loads in the birds. High pathogenicity is strongly suspected

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)
Whooper Swan
real-time PCR
29/12/2020
Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory)
Whooper Swan
real-time PCR
07/01/2021
Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory)
Whooper Swan
real-time PCR
15/01/2021
Positive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory)
Whooper Swan
virus sequencing
11/01/2021
Inconclusive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory)
Whooper Swan
virus sequencing
19/01/2021
Inconclusive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory)
Whooper Swan
virus sequencing
19/01/2021
Inconclusive
Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory)
Whooper Swan
virus sequencing
19/01/2021
Positive
Irish Central Veterinary research Laboratory (National laboratory)
Whooper Swan
real-time PCR
29/12/2020
Positive
Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.