Alert: Increased Risk of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreaks in Wild Bird Populations in Africa
Many Great White Pelicans died in the recent Avian Influenza outbreak in Senegal © Sergey Dereliev, www.dereliev-photography.com FAO recommends countries in Africa to be on high alert for wild bird mortalities due to H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Given recent reports from West and Southern Africa detecting the virus in Great White Pelicans and coastal birds respectively, the risk of HPAI introduction into other African countries and outbreaks in wild bird populations is regarded as high. Countries should have in place enhanced measures for early detection, diagnosis and outbreak response, in both wild birds and poultry.