Galicia, three new outbreaks of avian flu in wild birds

The Xunta de Galicia has three new outbreaks of bird flu in wild birds. It happened on the coast of the province of A Coruña where the 3 specimens of yellow-legged gulls were found in the municipalities of Culleredo, Oleiros and Carballo,

The Department of Rural Environment has informed the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) through the Veterinary Health Alert Network of the detection of three specimens of wild birds affected by highly pathogenic bird influence (IAAP), result confirmed by the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Algete (Madrid).

Bird flu in Galicia

These are three yellow-legged gulls found in the municipalities of Carballo, Oleiros and Culleredo in A Coruña and transferred to the Carballedo Wildlife Recovery Center in Cerdedo-Cotobade (Pontevedra). The birds were sampled proceed to laboratory analysiswhere the bodies are disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations. With these new cases, there will be 19 confirmed cases in our autonomous community in 2024.

The influence of risk assessment bird At state level it has also not changed compared to previous months, so there are no additional measures compared to those already in force since May 2023. In this way, at the current date they are only enforced in Galicia. certain health prevention measures in the seven municipal councils in the province of Pontevedra which belongs to the so-called Riesgo Special Zone (Cambados, O Grove, A Illa de Arousa, Meaño, Ribadumia, Sanxenxo and Vilanova de Arousa).

However, given the importance of the poultry sector in our Community, it is necessary to continue the implementation of the policy biosecurity measures on poultry farmsof any kind, both commercial and private, in particular those aimed at avoiding contact with wild birds, and intensifying surveillance of any sign of disease, both on poultry farms and in wild birds, by reporting the suspicion to the official veterinary services or also via the telephone number of the citizen service (012).

Cooperation with citizens in these types of situations is crucial, because the sooner the cases are found in the EU natureit would be better the application of preventive measureswhich prevent the virus from attacking other birds, especially domestic ones.