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Bird Flu Crisis Worsens in the EU

Bird flu is spreading at an alarming rate across the European Union this season, sparking concerns that the crisis could match or even exceed past outbreaks that resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of poultry. While the virus, known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, has devastated bird populations worldwide, recent developments have heightened fears about its potential to infect humans.

Since the start of the migratory bird season on August 1, EU countries have reported 62 outbreaks on poultry farms, primarily in the eastern regions. This figure marks a significant increase from the same period in 2023, when only seven cases were reported, though it remains below the 112 outbreaks seen by late October 2022. The growing threat has not gone unnoticed. “The situation at the EU level is surely more worrying than it was at the same stage last year,” said Yann Nedelec, head of French poultry organization Anvol.

While bird flu has not yet jumped to humans or livestock in the EU, the situation is more dire in the United States. There, nearly 400 dairy herds across 14 states have been affected, and the virus has been found in 36 people since April, including four who were working on an infected egg farm. Experts warn that the virus’s ability to spread to mammals, like dairy cattle and pigs, could lead to mutations that make human-to-human transmission easier, potentially igniting a global health crisis.

Hungary remains one of the hardest-hit EU countries, with a rapid increase in cases since early August. Poland, the bloc’s top poultry producer, has already culled 1.8 million birds, with nearly 1.4 million culled from a single farm in Sroda Wielkopolska. Meanwhile, France, which suffered major losses in the 2022/23 season, has reinforced biosecurity around farms after observing rising cases in neighboring countries.

Bird flu’s seasonal nature, largely spread through the droppings of wild migratory birds and the movement of contaminated material, typically sees a decline in spring. However, the current surge indicates that European farmers and health authorities need to remain vigilant and prepared for what could become a severe crisis.