Tainan: A rescued black-faced spoonbill infected with a novel highly pathogenic avian influenza has no place to be taken in and is sadly euthanized
Text/Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, Council of Agriculture
A black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) under rescue in Tainan City, China tested positive for a novel H5 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza. After coordination among multiple parties, no placement site meeting the required biosafety level was available for isolation, and given epidemic prevention risk considerations, humane euthanasia was reluctantly carried out.
The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine explained that on March 1, the Wild Bird Society notified the Tainan City Government that near a private fish pond in the city's Annan District, black-faced spoonbills (abbreviated as black-faced spoonbill) were found showing symptoms such as drooping neck and weak legs suspected of botulism poisoning. That notification involved 4 black-faced spoonbills, 1 of which had already died, while the other 3 were sent to a rescue station for treatment, and the Tainan City Animal Health Protection and Inspection Office collected samples such as throat and cloacal swabs and sent them to the Animal Health Research Institute (abbreviated as AHRI) of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan for testing. The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results confirmed that 1 of the rescued black-faced spoonbills was infected with a novel H5 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza.
The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine further stated that, considering that the black-faced spoonbill is a protected bird species, if a rearing environment meeting the biosafety level and transport facilities meeting biosafety standards were available, then this black-faced spoonbill that tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza could be isolated for observation. However, after inquiries with multiple parties, no suitable placement site was found, and under unavoidable circumstances based on epidemic prevention risk, this black-faced spoonbill was humanely euthanized in accordance with Article 21, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 3 of the Wildlife Conservation Act, and cleaning and disinfection work at the rescue station was carried out. The Tainan City Animal Health Protection and Inspection Office will also strengthen sampling and monitoring of poultry farms around the discovery site to prevent the risk of possible spread of the epidemic.