Thread by @DrEricDing

Worrisome—Several outbreaks of severe bird flu in Europe and Asia have been reported in recent days, in a sign the virus is spreading quickly again. Previous #birdflu outbreaks have led to culling tens of millions of birds. It can infect humans. 🧵
news.yahoo.com/norway-reports…

2) It is attracting the attention too of epidemiologists as the virus can be transmitted to humans. China has reported 21 human infections with the H5N6 subtype of avian influenza so far this year, more than in the whole of 2020.

news.yahoo.com/norway-reports…

3) South Korea reported an outbreak at a farm of around 770,000 poultry in Chungcheongbuk-do, the OIE said on Monday, citing a report from the South Korean authorities. All animals were slaughtered.

(Photo of bird flu culling from 2016)

4) Also in Asia, Japan reported its first outbreak of the 2021 winter season, at a poultry farm in the northeast of the country, the OIE said, confirming a statement last week by Japan's agriculture ministry. The serotype in this outbreak was H5N8

5) In Europe, Norway reported an H5N1 bird flu outbreak in the Rogaland region in a flock of 7,000 birds, the OIE said.

6) The Belgian government put 🇧🇪 on increased risk for bird flu, ordering poultry to be kept indoors as of Monday, after a highly pathogenic variant of bird flu was identified in a wild goose near Antwerp.

📌Bird flu cannot be transmitted through the eating of poultry products.