Almost half a million birds have been confirmed as being infected with bird flu in Albania, including poultry, but also wild birds such as pelicans.
Yesterday, it came to light that conservationists have been finding curly pelicans dead on Lake Prespa for over a month. The number found so far totals thousands and began as much as a month ago.
“The deaths in Lake Prespa began approximately three weeks or a month ago, and the numbers were devastating; the situation was unprecedented. This year’s totals exceed 1100-1200 “, according to Joni Vorpsi, PPNEA researcher told A2.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ermira Gjeci announced yesterday that some 358,520 birds had died so far, with 39,000 culled and buried that day. She added that at least 120,000 other chickens are believed to be infected.
Cases have been found in Durres, Korce, and Diber and beds of infection have been quarantined with a radius of 10km.
“Currently, the areas in quarantine are: Durrës, perimeter with a radius of 10 km in Durrës district with centre in the village of Rrashbull. Dibër, perimeter with a radius of 10 km in Dibër district with centre in the village of Rrethkal. Korça, perimeter with a radius of 10 km in Korça district with centre in the small village of Prespa.”
She noted that the situation is dynamic, and figures change by the hour.
The massive spread of infections in such a short time has raised concerns over the delayed response from authorities.
One of the impacted businesses in Durres, AIBA, told BIRN the authorities were late in taking measures and forced them to keep dead chickens on the premises for days to await analysis. The authorities initially claimed they were not dealing with H5N8 but rather other seasonal diseases.
In fact, just over a week ago, the ministry reported that the sudden death of thousands of chickens in Durres was not bird flu. They said that the analysis result confirmed that bird flu was not present.
“The Ministry of Agriculture through the National Agency of Veterinary and Plant Protection and the Institute for Food Safety and Veterinary informs the public there is no case of the presence of avian influenza in Albania so far.”
But in reality, the virus was ripping through the country at that exact moment.
AIBA said it was only after they paid for private analysis they discovered the real cause of the deaths. They added that the state only compensates them for deaths linked to bird flu, not infections of the larynx tract, which the authorities had repeatedly insisted the cause was.
In July 2021, several cases of bird flu were detected around the country. Some 130 birds were killed in Barbullush, Shkodra, and Fushe Kruje, Dajti and Bujan. At the time, the Institute for Food Security and Veterinary confirmed the diseases and said measures had been taken to quell the spread.
Farmers struggle increases
The news couldn’t have come at a worse time for Albanian farms and those who rely on the land for sustenance. Rising fuel, energy, fertiliser and feed have driven up the cost of business for many agricultural stakeholders.
As for customers who are already grappling with up to 40% price increases on some basket items, the situation is dire. The price of eggs has increased up to three times in some places, as has the cost of poultry meat. This means that yet another staple is now out of reach for some of the societies most vulnerable. Furthermore, if the cull continues, it could significantly disrupt the country’s supply chain for chicken meat and eggs for months to come.
What is bird flu?
Bird flu, otherwise known as H5N8, is a type of influenza, a virus that is lethal to poultry and wild birds. It can be asymptomatic but can also be highly lethal, with a mortality rate of at least 75%. The first significant outbreak was in Ireland in 1983, and almost 300,000 birds were culled to prevent the spread.
In South Korea, in 2014, at least 12 million poultry were killed following an outbreak in the North Jeolla Province. Then in 2016-2017, an outbreak was reported in Europe and the rest of Asia. Over the subsequent years, small outbreaks have been reported throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Can it be given to humans?
In February 2021, Russia reported the first known cases of bird flu in humans. A total of seven people were confirmed to have been infected after working at a farm in the country. There was no indication of human-to-human transmission, and the cases were described as mild. The WHO said that cases were asymptomatic.
The WHO’s statement read:
“Based on available information, the risk of human-to-human transmission remains low and WHO recommendations have not changed due to the incident. When avian influenza is circulating in an area, farms and contact with live animals, for example in markets, should be avoided. Precautions must be taken by those working with poultry.”
