There is no danger to humans. Avian influenza is a notifiable animal disease which, when it occurs, causes a large number of birds to become seriously ill and subsequently fatal. This must be prevented both from the point of view of animal welfare and for economic reasons. We are currently dealing with the H5N1 strain. This influenza virus is considered non-human pathogenic. "Even if Dhe avian influenza has already been detected several times - it does not pose a threat to humans and is not transmitted via food," emphasizes State Veterinary Director Dr. Thomas Hain.

Avian influenza updates

On December 30, 2022, a case of avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in a swan in the province of Vienna for the first time. Since then, this animal disease has already been detected in several waterfowl found dead in Vienna, Lower Austria and Upper Austria. In all cases, it was the H5N1 subtype, which is highly pathogenic (severely morbid) in birds and which has already led to large losses in numerous European poultry farms in recent months.

An outbreak detected on November 9th in a small business in the Graz area could be declared over in December 2022, since all official measures on the business and in its vicinity were completed and no further suspected cases arose.

In Upper Austria, avian influenza was detected in mid-January in a private farm in the Braunau district, then in an agricultural chicken farm in Wels-Land and in a private duck farm in the Linz-Land district. A protection and surveillance zone was also set up around the case in Wels-Land.

Since, based on the current evidence in Austria, it can now be assumed that the virus is rampant in the wild bird population in Austria, poultry farmers are obliged nationwide to comply with biosecurity measures.