According to an Immediate Notification dated 22 April from the veterinary authority in Taiwan to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), there were seven outbreaks of a low-pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H5N2 subtype between 12 January and 25 February.

Abnormal mortalities were observed on the seven farms in the counties of Changhua (one outbreak), Yunlin (one), Chiayi (one) and Pingtung (two) counties and Tainan city (two).

Four outbreaks were in chickens and three in native chickens. In total, 244,440 birds were affected, 75,319 of which died and 168,521 were destroyed.

Samples were sent to the national laboratory, the Animal Health Research Institute (AHRI) for diagnosis, where the H5N2 subtype low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) was identified.

The farms were put under movement restrictions.

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 1 April 2015.

All the birds on the infected farms have been culled. Thorough cleaning and disinfection have been conducted after the stamping out-operation.

Surrounding poultry farms within a 3-km radius of infected farms will be under intensified surveillance for three months.