03.05.2014

Taiwan reports a highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza outbreak in a wholesale poultry market.

The case was confirmed following an intensive active surveillance conducted on a wholesale poultry market in Taipei City since April 2014. The H5N2 subtype of avian influenza virus was isolated in one dead native chicken body sample on 23 April 2014. By tracing back on 23 April 2014, the original chicken farm in Yunlin County had no chicken remained, but movement control was immediately conducted on the farm. The pathogenicity of the virus was confirmed by the national laboratory as highly pathogenic (>75% mortality of tested chickens) on 2 May 2014. Samples were taken from 8 poultry farms in a 1-km radius around the original farm and confirmed all negative by virus isolation. After thorough cleaning and disinfection of this index farm, sentinel poultry test will be implemented to affirm non-viral activity in the environment. The transaction activities at the wholesale poultry market were stopped for one day to conduct thorough cleaning and disinfection. There were no poultry farms located within the 3-km radius area around the market.