According to a Thursday October 14th posting on the World Organization for Animal Health information system, an outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza was diagnosed in a farm holding 42,000 growing turkeys aged 13 weeks. The diagnosis was confirmed by application of rRT-PCR by the Northern Poultry Health Laboratory followed by gene sequencing at the Kimron Veterinary Institute. This is the first outbreak of H5N1 in Israel since 2015.
Investigations are currently in progress to determine the source of infection. During October, migratory birds pass over Israel in their route from Europe to Africa. There are a number of open water points near the affected farm in Nahalal.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza strain H5 has been reported from five regions in Russia and one in the Ukraine during the past week. Infected flocks varied in size from 50 to 7,000 with presumably appropriate control measures implemented consistent with OIE directives.