In Follow-up Report No.20 dated 11 May to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Taiwan's veterinary authority reports 10 new outbreaks of avian flu caused by the H5N2 subtype of the virus.

The outbreaks date back to January 2015.

Abnormal mortality was observed on nine poultry farms in the counties of Yunlin (four outbreaks) and Pingtung (two outbreaks) as well as Kaohsiung City (three outbreaks).

Goose flocks were affected in six of the outbreaks, native chickens in two and ducks in the other farm outbreak.

In total,62,780 poultry were affected, 22,552 of which died and 40,228 were destroyed.

The report adds that two dead wild birds (Passeridae) were found in Beidou township in Changhua county on 4 April.

In each case, samples were sent to the National Laboratory (AHRI) for diagnosis, where the H5N2 subtype HPAI was confirmed.

The farms have been put under movement restriction. All animals on the infected farms have been culled and thorough cleaning and disinfection were conducted after the stamping-out operation.

Surrounding poultry farms within a 3-km radius of the infected farms were put under intensified surveillance for three months.