250 Dead Wild Birds in Kelbra Lake in Germany
Recombinomics Commentary
July 9, 2007
At artificial lake the Kelbra in the past days approximately 250 dead birds were found. In the coming days further test results are expected. On Monday at the lake again ten dead black neck divers were discovered, who are ended according to veterinary centre with large probability at the bird flu. The dangerous type of virus H5N1 was proven according to national office for consumer protection in Stendal so far with 153 game birds.
The above translation indicates the number of dead wild birds at Kelbra Lake continues to rise. German media reports had indicated an additional 28 dead birds had ben collected over the weekend, raising the total to 209. However, the above translation indicates the number has grown to approximately 250, including ten more Black-neck grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) collected today.
The above translation also confirms the 153 H5N1 positives described over the weekend. These numbers indicate the H5N1 infected birds at Kelbra Lake will set a record for H5N1 infections of wild birds in Europe.
Last year over 700 wild birds were H5N1 positive. These were collected throughout Europe, but the majority was in Germany. There were 343 positives in Germany, and most were at the northern or southern borders. In the north, there were 194 positives in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, including 158 positives on the Rugen Island. In the south there were 73 positives in Bavaria.
In Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, there were no reported cases, and there were only two in Saxony, including one at the Dresden zoo in August. Few of the cases last winter were grebes.
In contrast, this year most of the positives have been grebes on Kelbra Lake, which span Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. These recent isolates have been collected in June and July, when long range migration is minimal, as it was in February, 2006 when most countries in Europe, including Germany reported the first Clade 2.2 H5N1 cases.
These data strongly suggest that H5N1 is endemic in western Europe, and surveillance should be significantly increased in Germany and throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
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