Two New Outbreaks of Avian Flu in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Infection Landscape Becomes More Complex

Veterinary services in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship are grappling with two new, confirmed outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The first was detected in the town of Okrąg in Lipno County on a farm maintaining a total of 52 thousand laying hens. The second outbreak was confirmed in Kołuda Wielka in Inowrocław County, where the disease attacked a flock of the rare Kołuda White geese breed, numbering 8.5 thousand birds. According to Wojciech Młynarek, it has been necessary to cull about 4.7 thousand geese so far, and the fight to save the rest continues. „Staramy się uratować pozostałe gęsi, może uda się. Wszystko zależy od obsługi, właścicieli hodowli i zastosowanych reżimów.” (We are trying to save the remaining geese, maybe we will succeed. Everything depends on the staff, the farm owners, and the applied regimes.) — Wojciech Młynarek According to data from the CVI, since the beginning of January, 39 HPAI outbreaks have already been confirmed in commercial flocks in the country, with a clear dominance of outbreaks in Greater Poland. The liquidation of the four latest outbreaks mentioned in the reports involves the necessity to cull over 130 thousand more animals. Parallel to the problems with avian flu, Polish services are fighting another wave of African Swine Fever infections in the wild boar population. According to the latest CVI report, 39 new ASF outbreaks in wild boar were confirmed across the country in the past week. The situation is particularly alarming in Piotrków County, where further cases have been recorded in the municipalities of Rozprza and Sulejów. Since the beginning of the year, 9 outbreaks of the disease have already occurred in this part of the Łódź Voivodeship.39 — new ASF outbreaks in wild boar within a week Alarming news is also coming from abroad. In Spain, cases of ASF in wild boar have been detected for the first time outside the original outbreak area near Barcelona. A total of 155 infected pigs have been found in this region, and thirteen new cases were discovered in recent days, leading to tightened restrictions. The return of the disease to Piotrków County and its spread in Spain show that ASF still poses a serious, international threat to pig farming. Highly pathogenic avian influenza first attacked Polish poultry farms on a mass scale in 2006, causing huge economic losses. African Swine Fever, a viral disease not dangerous to humans but fatal to pigs and wild boar, appeared in Poland in 2014, most likely transferred from areas of Belarus. Since then, the fight against both viruses has been a constant feature of the Polish agricultural landscape. The current wave of infections with both diseases in a short time indicates an intensification of epizootic pressure and calls into question the effectiveness of existing biosecurity measures. The situation requires close cooperation between breeders, veterinary services, and local governments to prevent further escalation of losses, both economic and in valuable genetic resources, such as the goose flock in Kołuda Wielka.