LUSA 02/04/2025

Lusa - Business News - Portugal: Authorities detect bird flu in Aveiro, Leiria regions

Lisbon, Feb. 3, 2025 (Lusa) - Bird flu has been detected at a chicken, duck and goose farm in the district of Albergaria-a-Velha, in Aveiro, and in a wild bird in Caldas da Rainha, in Leiria, the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary ( DGAV) has announced.

"[...] A new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus infection has been confirmed in a domestic poultry farm located in the parish of Angeja, in the district of Albergaria-a-Velha, Aveiro," reads a note from the DGAV.

The farm has chickens, ducks and geese.

The control measures implemented include inspecting the places where the disease was detected, removing the affected animals and cleaning and disinfecting them, as well as restricting movement and monitoring poultry farms in the restricted areas (within a radius of up to 10 kilometres around the outbreak detected in the domestic poultry farm).

In another note, the DGAV revealed that the virus was also detected in a wild bird - a white-faced cormorant - in Caldas da Rainha, Leiria.

In view of the circulation of the avian flu virus, the DGAV has once again called on all people who have birds to comply with safety measures, such as confining birds held in mainland Portugal.

In addition, compliance with biosecurity measures and good production practices, avoiding contact between domestic and wild birds.

Hygiene procedures for facilities, equipment and materials must be reinforced.

At the end of January, bird flu was confirmed in a domestic poultry farm and in birds in the D. Carlos I Urban Park, in the district of Caldas da Rainha, Leiria.

One outbreak was detected in a domestic poultry farm in the parish of Tornada and Salir do Porto. The other was confirmed in birds from the lake in the D. Carlos I Urban Park.

In the same month, confirmation of an outbreak of avian influenza was announced at a small chicken, duck and goose farm in Sintra, where a case had already been detected earlier in the month.

On the day the first case was confirmed in Sintra, Portugal's national health authority (DGS) explained that, to date, no people had been identified with symptoms or signs suggestive of infection by this virus (H5N1).

Transmission of the virus to humans occurs rarely and sporadic cases have been reported around the world.

However, when it does occur, the infection can lead to a serious clinical condition.

Transmission occurs mainly through contact with infected animals or with tissues, feathers, droppings or inhalation of virus through contact with infected animals or contaminated environments.

Three cases of infection with the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in wild birds had already been confirmed in Portugal during the current epidemiological season, namely in a yellow-legged gull in Quarteira, Loulé, a black-winged gull in São Jacinto, Aveiro, and a yellow-legged gull in Olhão, Faro.

More than 840 outbreaks of bird flu were detected in Europe between October 2024 and January 2025, mainly in Hungary and Italy.

Bird flu has already affected more than 60 mammal species in eight years, including dogs, cats, lions and pigs.

 

 

PE/AYLS // AYLS

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