An immediate notification was sent to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on Monday, 19 May.

According to the OIE, the H5N2 subtype virus was isolated by active surveillance and confirmed by national laboratory on 29 April 2014. Antibodies were also detected on collected serum samples. Movement restriction was implemented on the infected farm on 29 April 2014.

Clinical health investigation on the affected farm showed that the breeders were in healthy condition without abnormal mortality and egg production.

The pathogenicity of the virus has been subsequently confirmed by national laboratory as low pathogenic (less than 75 per cent mortality of the tested chickens) on 19 May 2014. The clinical investigation and surveillance of surrounding poultry farms are in progress.

While a gene sequencing test conducted on 1 May at the Animal Health Research Institute resulted negative, a haemagglutination inhibition test (HIT) and virus isolation test confirmed the presence of the H5N2 virus.

Several control measures have been put in place to contain the situation.

Further Reading

You can visit the Avian Flu page by clicking here.