OIE: Highly pathogenic influenza A viruses (infection with) (non-poultry including wild birds), Chinese Taipei

Information received on 06/02/2017 from Dr Tai-Hwa Shih, Chief Veterinary Officer, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan, Ministry of Agriculture, Taipei, Chinese Taipei

Summary

Report type	Immediate notification
Date of start of the event	02/02/2017
Date of confirmation of the event	05/02/2017
Report date	06/02/2017
Date submitted to OIE	06/02/2017
Reason for notification	New strain of a listed disease in the country
Causal agent	Highly pathogenic influenza A virus
Serotype	H5N6
Nature of diagnosis	Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to	a defined zone within the country

New outbreaks

Summary of outbreaks

Total outbreaks: 1

Outbreak Location

HUALIEN COUNTY ( Yuli Township )

Total animals affected

Species	Susceptible	Cases	Deaths	Destroyed	Slaughtered
Anatidae (unidentified):Anatidae (Anatidae (incognita))		1	1	0	0

Outbreak statistics

Species	Apparent morbidity rate	Apparent mortality rate	Apparent case fatality rate	Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Anatidae (unidentified):Anatidae (Anatidae (incognita))	**	**	100.00%	**

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter;
** Not calculated because of missing information;

Epidemiology

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments

The animal health authority, BAPHIQ, entrusts the Wild Bird Society of Taipei (a non-governmental organization) to conduct active surveillance of wild bird for avian influenza. One dead young goose was found on a country road in Hualien County by the Wild Bird Society of Taipei and was sent to the National Laboratory (Animal Health Research Institute, AHRI) on 2 February 2017. H5N6 subtype HPAI was detected and confirmed by the AHRI in the evening of 5 February 2017. The HA and NA genomic sequences of the virus seem to share high similarity (99%) with those of the virus which has caused major outbreaks in Korea and Japan according to preliminary analysis by the AHRI.
The Local Disease Control Center (LDCC) disinfected the neighboring areas of the spot where the dead goose was found and has completed clinical examination and sampling of all poultry farms (2 duck farms) within 1 km radius of the spot. All ducks in the 2 farms are clinically healthy. Surrounding poultry farms within 3 km radius of the index spot will also be sampled as soon as possible and they are under intensified surveillance for 3 months to detect, if any, spreading of the virus. Until 21 February 2017, all waterfowls of Hualien County must be slaughtered locally, no dispatch to other regions of the country is allowed.

Control measures

Measures applied	Movement control inside the country Screening Disinfection / Disinfestation Quarantine Zoning Vaccination prohibited No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied	No other measures

Diagnostic test results

Laboratory name and type

Animal Health Research Institute ( National laboratory )

Tests and results

Species	Test	Test date	Result
Anatidae (unidentified)	gene sequencing	05/02/2017	Positive
Anatidae (unidentified)	reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)	05/02/2017	Positive

Future Reporting

The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.