Ireland confirms second case of avian influenza H5N8

A second case of avian influenza H5N8 was confirmed on Friday in a wigeon in west Ireland's County Galway, according to the government.

No outbreaks have been detected in poultry in Ireland so far, the government said. But it said this confirms that poultry flocks across the country are at risk from introduction of the virus.

Late last month, Ireland confirmed the first case of avian influenza H5N8 in a wild bird in the southeastern county of Wexford.

The findings were not unexpected given the detection of highly pathogenic H5N8 in wild birds in Britain in December last year.

In a statement, the Irish Department of Agriculture once more emphasized the requirement to confine poultry and other birds, and to apply strict bio-security measures to prevent the introduction of avian influenza.

Poultry flock owners should remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their flocks, and report any disease suspicion to their nearest veterinary office of the department, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Health Protection Surveillance Center, an agency dedicated to the surveillance of communicable diseases in Ireland, has confirmed that although the H5N8 subtype can cause serious disease in poultry and other birds, no human infections with this virus have been reported world-wide and therefore risk to humans is considered to be very low. Enditem