Portuguese Reports H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak

According to the official notification of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), on 29 July 2024, WOAH was officially informed by the Government of Portugal of a serious public health event, namely an outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic influenza A in Portugal. The outbreak occurred in the city of Faro, Faro District, Algarve region, southern Portugal, on 26 July 2024 and was confirmed after rigorous clinical observation and laboratory testing.

The source of the outbreak is still under investigation, posing a considerable challenge to control and prevention efforts. Initial findings indicate that one Mediterranean gull tested positive for H5N1 and became ill, raising widespread concerns about a possible chain of transmission. Mediterranean gulls are common hosts for this highly pathogenic avian influenza, and their extensive migration paths may spread the virus to more distant areas.

At present, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has taken emergency measures, strict lockdown and disinfection of the outbreak area to prevent further spread of the virus. At the same time, the relevant departments are closely monitoring the development of the epidemic and conducting large-scale screening of birds in the surrounding areas to find and isolate potential sources of infection as soon as possible.

The outbreak of H5N1 influenza has attracted much attention worldwide. The H5N1 virus is considered extremely lethal to both humans and birds, causing hundreds of deaths worldwide since it was first identified in Asia in 1996. Therefore, the international community has placed great hopes on the control of the epidemic in Portugal, and experts and organizations from various countries have also provided technical support and experience sharing to jointly deal with this global public health threat.

The Portuguese government says it will do its best to take all necessary measures to control and eliminate the outbreak. They stressed that the health and safety of the public is a top priority and will ensure the timely and transparent release of information on the outbreak, while strengthening the safety of agricultural production to mitigate the impact of the outbreak on local communities and economies.

This incident reminds us once again that the importance of global animal health security cannot be ignored. Countries need to strengthen surveillance and early warning systems and improve their ability to respond rapidly to emerging infectious diseases to protect the health of humans and animals and maintain global public health security. We look forward to Portugal's success in containing this outbreak and setting a good example for the rest of the world.