EU concerned about avian influenza outbreaks

Avian influenza is spreading rapidly among poultry in the European Union (EU) this season, raising concerns about a possible repeat of past outbreaks that have killed millions of birds. The influenza A virus, responsible for the disease, mainly affects birds but can also infect mammals, including humans. In recent years, the virus has killed hundreds of millions of birds worldwide. Between August and mid-October, the EU recorded 62 outbreaks in poultry farms, but so far there have been no human cases or infected cattle. The virus spreads mainly in autumn, through migrating birds. In the United States, avian influenza has affected approximately 400 cattle herds in 14 states, and 36 human cases have been identified since April. Hungary has recorded the highest number of outbreaks since the start of the season, while in Poland 1.8 million birds have been culled, including 1.4 million from a single farm in the Sroda Wielkopolska region.