Europe has recorded the lowest number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry and wild birds since 2019/2020 and the risk to the general public remains low, according to the latest report on avian influenza, published on Thursday 4 July by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the EU Reference Laboratory.
Between 16 March and 14 June 2024, 42 detections of the virus (HPAI) were reported in domestic and wild birds in 13 European countries.
The improvement in the situation in Europe may be linked to several factors (immunity developed by wild birds, reduction in certain wild bird populations, reduction in environmental contamination, changes in the composition of viral genotypes) and needs to be studied in greater depth, according to the report authors.
The experts note that the virus (HPAI) continues to circulate in wild birds in Europe throughout the year, albeit at a low level, and recommend that surveillance be stepped up in preparation for the next influenza season.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/cxs (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)