Avian influenza is back in most European countries

The highly pathogenic avian influenza is a growing concern across Europe. So far this year, 347 outbreaks have been recorded on commercial poultry farms. The highest number of cases has been reported in Hungary (106 outbreaks) and Poland (99). A high number of on-farm outbreaks has also been recorded in the UK – 81 cases in the 2024– 2025 avian influenza season. Germany has 44 confirmed outbreaks, France – 5, Belgium – 2, the Netherlands – 1 and Denmark – 3.

In Lithuania, the first outbreak was recorded at the end of January this year on a poultry farm in the Šilutė district, where more than 246 000 laying hens were kept. Outbreaks were detected this spring in Kaišiadorys and in autumn in Kretinga districts. In the latter, about 20 000 hens were kept. The virus is spread by wild waterfowl and is therefore regularly found in nature. This year, avian influenza was detected in dead swans found in Kaunas and Alytus districts. Almost all European Union Member States have reported the discovery of dead wild birds confirmed with H5N1 avian influenza virus.

United Kingdom

According to publicly available information, the United Kingdom has experienced a sudden wave of outbreaks of avian influenza during the summer months, with as many as 81 cases reported between October 2024 and September this year. Since then, a further 9 new outbreaks have been confirmed on commercial farms.

Germany

In Germany, 44 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) have been identified. The largest outbreak was recorded on a broiler farm in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where more than 35 000 birds were kept. The country's main veterinary body, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), warns that the current situation is reminiscent of the severe avian influenza wave of 2021, one of the worst years in the history of German poultry farming, when the virus led to the destruction of more than 2 million birds.

France

Despite two successive large-scale annual vaccination campaigns, avian influenza has returned to France. The first case was recorded on a pheasant and partridge breeding farm on 10 October this year near the town of Calais, and four more cases were reported in the regions of the west coast.

The French Ministry of Agriculture quickly raised the risk level from negligible to medium and strengthened biosecurity rules for poultry farms.

Netherlands and Belgium

After several new cases in both the Netherlands and Belgium, the mandatory indoor poultry keeping order has been reintroduced. So far, one infected chicken farm has been confirmed in the Netherlands and two in Belgium.

Poland. Almost 100 cases per year

According to the European Commission, 99 cases of avian influenza have been reported in Poland since September last year. The country had only regained its "bird flu-free" status in May this year, but new outbreaks in the north of the country had to be reported again in September.

Denmark

Denmark has also detected three cases of avian influenza. One of them is at a large poultry farm in Fredericia, where as many as 150,000 laying hens are kept, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration reported.

This year's avian influenza situation in Europe shows that the virus remains highly persistent and continues to threaten both the poultry sector and food supply chains across the continent. Strict biosecurity and responsible animal husbandry remain key measures to reduce the spread of the virus and protect farms.