WattAgNet: Nigeria, South Korea, Taiwan struggle with avian flu

New cases of avian influenza emerge as countries have a tough time controlling its spread

New outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been reported in the last week in Nigeria and Taiwan, while the South Korean authorities are experiencing financial and logistical challenges in tackling HPAI in poultry. Low-pathogenic avian flu has been detected at a third location in Chile.

Nigeria reports HPAI outbreaks with two virus types
HPAI caused by the H5N1 virus was first reported in Nigeria in January of 2015, and outbreaks have occurred sporadically since that time. In January of 2017, according to the report of the national veterinary authority to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), there were nine new outbreaks. These occurred in the central states of Plateau, Bauchi, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, and affected six farms and three backyard flocks. All outbreaks were in laying hens or pullets, and one farm had 130,000 birds. Of the almost 146,000 poultry affected, nearly 1,000 died and the rest have been destroyed.

The H5N8 virus was first reported in Nigeria in December last year, in a small poultry flock in the state of Kano. The authorities have now reported to OIE detecting the virus in a small number of ducks at a market in the same state in mid-January.

Asia: South Korea battles HPAI, Myanmar belatedly reports outbreak
In its worst ever outbreak of HPAI, South Korea has already culled 33.13 million poultry, according to Yonhap. The agriculture ministry has paid more than KRW260 billion (US$227 million) in compensation to the 340 affected farms. This…