Thread by @thijskuiken

Just out: Scientific report with overview of highly pathogenic avian #influenza from December 2022 to March 2023, by @efsa, @ECDC_EU, and EURL AI. A thread on the situation in poultry, wild birds, wild mammals, and humans in Europe and worldwide. (1/11)
efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal…

In #Europe, highly pathogenic avian #influenza virus #H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b, was reported in 403 #poultry farms and 119 other captive bird holdings birds in 24 countries between 3 December 2022 and 1 March 2023. (2/11)

In Europe, an unexpected number of highly pathogenic avian #influenza virus #H5N1 detections in #seabirds were observed between 3 December 2022 and 1 March 2023, mainly in gull species and particularly in black-headed #gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus). (3/11)

In particular, large mortality events of black-headed gulls were observed in #France, #Belgium, the #Netherlands, and #Italy. The map shows where these were, based on reported virus detections in black-headed gulls in the first half of February 2023. (4/11)

Worldwide, highly pathogenic avian #influenza #H5N1 continued to spread southward in Latin America in both wild birds and #poultry, from #Mexico to southern #Chile. The Peruvian #pelican was the most frequently reported wild bird, with thousands of deaths being reported. (5/11)

Given the rapid southwards spread of highly pathogenic avian #influenza #H5N1 virus in South America, there is risk of virus spread to #seabirds (100 million breeding birds) and #pinnipeds (including 15 million crabeater seals) of the #Antarctic. (6/11)

Worldwide, reports of wild #mammals affected by highly pathogenic avian #influenza #H5N1 continued. These reports involve 24 species of #carnivores, 4 species of #cetaceans, as well as domestic pigs and wild boar (#artiodactyls) and Virginia opossums (#marsupials). (7/11)

In #Peru, mass mortality of South American sea lions from this virus was observed, involving at least 3,487 sea lions by 4 March 2023. Because many animals died simultaneously in groups, direct transmission among sea lions could not be excluded. (8/11)

Worldwide, six highly pathogenic avian #influenza virus #H5N1 detections in #humans were reported from #Cambodia (clade 2.3.2.1c), #China (clade 2.3.4.4b), #Ecuador (clade 2.3.4.4b), and #Vietnam (clade 2.3.4.4b), as well as two A(#H5N6) human infections from China. (9/11)

In Europe, the current #risk of infection with currently circulating avian #H5 #influenza viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b is assessed as #low to #moderate for cullers, veterinarians, and other people who are occupationally or otherwise exposed to infected birds or mammals. (10/11)

The high virus diversity and ongoing virus reassortment events globally add a high uncertainty to this assessment, and sporadic transmission events to humans--also causing severe infection--cannot be excluded. (11/11)

Correction: Username for EFSA is @EFSA_EU