According to Follow-up Report No.13 dated 24 April, Taiwan's animal health authority has reported two new outbreaks of H5N8 avian flu to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

Abnormal mortality was observed on two goose farms, one in each of the counties of Changhua and Yunlin.

Starting between 10 and 16 April, the outbreaks affected a total of 7,140 birds; 3,695 died and 3,445 were destroyed.

Samples were sent to the national laboratory (AHRI) for diagnosis, where the H5N8 subtype HPAI was confirmed.

On the same day, Follow-up Report 18 was sent to the OIE, outlining three new outbreaks of avian flu in poultry in which the caused was identified as the H5N2 variant of the virus.

Abnormal mortalities were observed between 11 and 17 April on two poultry farms – one with geese and one with chickens – in Yunlin county and in native chickens at an abattoir in Pingtung County.

In these three outbreaks, a total of 25,780 poultry were affected; 13,137 died and 12,643 were destroyed.

At the AHRI, the samples were confirmed positive for the H5N2 subtype of the virus.

The farms and the abattoir were put under movement restrictions. Thorough cleaning and disinfection were conducted after the stamping-out operation. Poultry farms within a 3-km radius of these infected farms will be under intensified surveillance for three months.