Information received on 15/02/2021 from Dr Norio Kumagai, Director, Chief Veterinary Officer, Animal Health Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan
Summary
Report type
Follow-up report No. 5
Date of start of the event
03/12/2020
Date of confirmation of the event
09/12/2020
Report date
12/02/2021
Date submitted to OIE
15/02/2021
Reason for notification
Recurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence
25/03/2018
Manifestation of disease
Clinical disease
Causal agent
Highly pathogenic influenza A virus
Serotype
H5N8
Nature of diagnosis
Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to
the whole country
Related reports
Immediate notification (23/12/2020)
Follow-up report No. 1 (28/12/2020)
Follow-up report No. 2 (04/01/2021)
Follow-up report No. 3 (22/01/2021)
Follow-up report No. 4 (03/02/2021)
Follow-up report No. 5 (12/02/2021)
New outbreaks (7)

Outbreak 1
Tsurugi-Town 1, Tokushima
Date of start of the outbreak
29/01/2021
Outbreak status
Resolved (29/01/2021)
Epidemiological unit
Not applicable
Affected animals
Species
Susceptible
Cases
Deaths
Killed and disposed of
Slaughtered
Mallard:Anas platyrhynchos(Anatidae)

1
1
0
0
Affected population
A dead Anas platyrhynchos was found and tested.
Outbreak 2
Koriyama-City 1, Fukushima
Date of start of the outbreak
30/01/2021
Outbreak status
Resolved (30/01/2021)
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
A dead Cygus cygus was found and tested.
Outbreak 3
Satsuma-Town 1, Kagoshima
Date of start of the outbreak
01/02/2021
Outbreak status
Resolved (01/02/2021)
Epidemiological unit
Not applicable
Affected animals
Species
Susceptible
Cases
Deaths
Killed and disposed of
Slaughtered
Eastern buzzard:Buteo japonicus(Accipitridae)

1
1
0
0
Affected population
A dead Buteo japonicus was found and tested.
Outbreak 4
Itako-City 1, Ibaraki
Date of start of the outbreak
01/02/2021
Outbreak status
Resolved (01/02/2021)
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
A dead Cygnus olor was found and tested.
Outbreak 5
Izumi-City 4, Kagoshima
Date of start of the outbreak
03/02/2021
Outbreak status
Resolved (03/02/2021)
Epidemiological unit
Not applicable
Affected animals
Species
Susceptible
Cases
Deaths
Killed and disposed of
Slaughtered
Hooded crane:Grus monacha(Gruidae)

1
1
0
0
Affected population
A dead Grus monacha was found and tested.
Outbreak 6
Izumi-City 6, Kagoshima
Date of start of the outbreak
05/02/2021
Outbreak status
Resolved (05/02/2021)
Epidemiological unit
Not applicable
Affected animals
Species
Susceptible
Cases
Deaths
Killed and disposed of
Slaughtered
White-naped crane:Grus vipio(Gruidae)

1
1
0
0
Affected population
A dead Grus vipio was found and tested.
Outbreak 7
Izumi-City 5, Kagoshima
Date of start of the outbreak
05/02/2021
Outbreak status
Resolved (05/02/2021)
Epidemiological unit
Not applicable
Affected animals
Species
Susceptible
Cases
Deaths
Killed and disposed of
Slaughtered
Hooded crane:Grus monacha(Gruidae)

2
2
0
0
Affected population
Two weakened Grus monacha were found and tested.
Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 7
Total animals affected
Species
Susceptible
Cases
Deaths
Killed and disposed of
Slaughtered
Mallard:Anas platyrhynchos(Anatidae)

1
1
0
0
Whooper Swan:Cygnus cygnus(Anatidae)

1
1
0
0
Eastern buzzard:Buteo japonicus(Accipitridae)

1
1
0
0
Mute Swan:Cygnus olor(Anatidae)

1
1
0
0
Hooded crane:Grus monacha(Gruidae)

3
3
0
0
White-naped crane:Grus vipio(Gruidae)

1
1
0
0
Outbreak statistics
Species
Apparent morbidity rate
Apparent mortality rate
Apparent case fatality rate
Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Mallard:Anas platyrhynchos(Anatidae)
**
**
100.00%
**
Whooper Swan:Cygnus cygnus(Anatidae)
**
**
100.00%
**
Eastern buzzard:Buteo japonicus(Accipitridae)
**
**
100.00%
**
Mute Swan:Cygnus olor(Anatidae)
**
**
100.00%
**
Hooded crane:Grus monacha(Gruidae)
**
**
100.00%
**
White-naped crane:Grus vipio(Gruidae)
**
**
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
Follow-up report No. 5 (Cases 14-20) New outbreaks in wild birds are as follows: Outbreak 1 - Satsuma-Town 1 – A dead Buteo japonicus (Eastern buzzard) was collected in Kagoshima prefecture on 1 February 2021 and tested against avian influenza virus. On 5 February, Kagoshima University conducted RT-PCR and gene sequencing tests and confirmed that the subtype of the virus was H5N8. Outbreak 2 – Koriyama-City 1 - A dead Cygnus cygnus (Whooper swan) was collected in Fukushima prefecture on 30 January 2021 and tested against avian influenza virus. On 8 February, Hokkaido University conducted RT-PCR and gene sequencing tests and confirmed that the subtype of the virus was H5N8. Outbreak 3 - Tsurugi-Town 1 - A dead Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard) was collected in Tokushima prefecture on 29 January 2021 and tested against avian influenza virus. On 11 February, Tottori University conducted RT-PCR and gene sequencing tests and confirmed that the subtype of the virus was H5N8. Outbreak 4 - Izumi-City 4 - A dead Grus monacha (Hooded crane) was collected in Kagoshima prefecture on 3 February 2021 and tested against avian influenza virus. On 8 February, Kagoshima University conducted RT-PCR and gene sequencing tests and confirmed that the subtype of the virus was H5N8. Outbreak 5 - Izumi-City 5 - Two weakened Grus monacha (Hooded crane) were collected in Kagoshima prefecture on 5 February 2021 and tested against avian influenza virus. On 10 February, Kagoshima University conducted RT-PCR and gene sequencing tests and confirmed that the subtype of the virus was H5N8. Outbreak 6 - Izumi-City 6 - A dead Grus vipio (White-naped crane) was collected in Kagoshima prefecture on 5 February 2021 and tested against avian influenza virus. On 10 February, Kagoshima University conducted RT-PCR and gene sequencing tests and confirmed that the subtype of the virus was H5N8. Outbreak 7 - Itako-City 1 - A dead Cygnus olor (Mute swan) was collected in Ibaraki prefecture on 1 February 2021 and tested against avian influenza virus. On 12 February, National Institute of Animal Health conducted RT-PCR and gene sequencing tests and confirmed that the subtype of the virus was H5N8.

Control measures
Measures applied
Screening
Disinfection
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
National Institute of Animal Health (National laboratory)
Mute Swan
gene sequencing
12/02/2021
Positive
National Institute of Animal Health (National laboratory)
Mute Swan
reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
12/02/2021
Positive
Hokkaido University (Private Laboratory)
Whooper Swan
gene sequencing
08/02/2021
Positive
Hokkaido University (Private Laboratory)
Whooper Swan
reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
08/02/2021
Positive
Kagoshima University (Private Laboratory)
Eastern buzzard
gene sequencing
05/02/2021
Positive
Kagoshima University (Private Laboratory)
Eastern buzzard
reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
05/02/2021
Positive
Kagoshima University (Private Laboratory)
Hooded crane
gene sequencing
08/02/2021
Positive
Kagoshima University (Private Laboratory)
Hooded crane
gene sequencing
10/02/2021
Positive
Kagoshima University (Private Laboratory)
Hooded crane
reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
08/02/2021
Positive
Kagoshima University (Private Laboratory)
Hooded crane
reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
10/02/2021
Positive
Kagoshima University (Private Laboratory)
White-naped crane
gene sequencing
10/02/2021
Positive
Kagoshima University (Private Laboratory)
White-naped crane
reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
10/02/2021
Positive
Tottori University (Private Laboratory)
Mallard
gene sequencing
11/02/2021
Positive
Tottori University (Private Laboratory)
Mallard
reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
11/02/2021
Positive
Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.