General information
Report type: immediate notification
Date of start of the event: 1 Jun 2021
Date of confirmation of the event: 22 Jun 2021
Reason for notification: recurrence
Last occurrence: 24 Mar 2019
Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
Causal agent: highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype: H5N1
Nature of diagnosis: clinical, laboratory, necropsy
This event pertains to the whole country.

New outbreaks (2)
Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 2

Outbreak location 1: Klobateme, Zio, Maritime
Date of start of the outbreak: 19 Jun 2021
Epidemiological unit: farm
Total animals affected:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of /
Slaughtered or killed for commercial use / Vaccinated
Birds / 1000 / 189 / 189 / 811 / 0 / 0
Affected population: First cases began on 19 Jun 2021; it is a flock
of 1000 6-month-old layers in two buildings.

Outbreak location 2: Djagble-Kleme, Zio, Maritime
Date of start of the outbreak: 1 Jun 2021
Epidemiological unit: farm
Total animals affected:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of /
Slaughtered or killed for commercial use / Vaccinated
Birds / 1000 / 563 / 563 / 437 / 0 / 0
Affected population: First cases started on ; there are 2
flocks of laying hens with 500 animals each; one is being culled, but
the owner has kept it until the 2nd flock reaches its peak of
production; the other one is starting to lay. Both flocks are in a
building separated on the whole width by a barrier made of bamboo
wood.

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection: unknown or
inconclusive

Epidemiological comments: Two infected farms, which are approximately
5 km apart as the crow flies, each with a population of 1000 layers.
Both infected farms are more or less located in urban areas. The 1st
one is in a house with no physical separation between the rearing
building (nor foot baths) and the house yard. There are almost no
biosecurity measures applied. The 2nd farm is much more isolated, with
some biosecurity measures. In both cases, eggs are sold on the
premises without any biosecurity measures for the management of the
trays. Given the numerous failures in the application of biosecurity
measures, the precise source of the infection could not be determined
through the traceability survey, although these 2 farms have in common
the fact that the customers are served on the premises and inside the
farm´s fence.

Control measures at event level
Domestic control measures applied: stamping out; disinfection;
official disposal of carcasses, by-products, and waste; official
destruction of animal products; quarantine; movement control inside
the country; surveillance within containment and/or protection zone;
traceability

Domestic control measures to be applied: surveillance outside
containment and/or protection zone

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type / Species / Outbreaks / Test / Test date /
Result
Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute (IZS), Venezie (OIE reference
laboratory) / birds / 1 / gene sequencing / 22 Jun 2021 / positive
Laboratoire central veterinaire de Lome (national laboratory) / birds
/ 2 / rapid test / 25 Jun 2021 / positive
Laboratoire central veterinaire de Lome (national laboratory) / birds
/ 2 / multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR multiplex) / 25 Jun 2021 / positive