Europe is Experiencing the Worst Bird Flu Epidemic

Europe is experiencing the worst epidemic of bird flu, the German Federal Institute for Animal Health said, quoted by Friedrich Löfler.

We are currently experiencing the most serious epidemic of bird flu in Germany and Europe, according to the institute.

"The end is not in sight - the range of countries affected is from Finland to the Faroe Islands and Ireland, from Russia to Portugal," experts said. Cases of bird flu have also been reported in Canada, India and East Asia.

In Germany alone, 394 infections have been reported in wild birds, including ducks, geese, swans and seagulls between early October and December 29. The cases were detected mainly along the coast.

46 cases of infection have been detected in German poultry farms.

During the same period, 675 cases of wild birds and 534 infections in domestic animals were detected in Europe.

There have been additional cases in mammals this year, most notably red foxes in the Netherlands and Finland, gray seals in Sweden, harbor seals in Germany and otters in Finland.

/BTA