ProMed Mail posted reports of outbreaks of HPAI strain H5N1 in Russia, confined to wild birds and backyard flocks. It is interesting that most E.U. nations report cases of HPAI in wild birds and both backyard flocks and commercial farms.  In contrast Russia does not seem to be affected by outbreaks on commercial farms. Is this attributed to failure to report to the WOAH; superlative biosecurity; exceptional luck or are they deploying an AI vaccine?

The major cluster of outbreaks this month occurred in Romania with three presumably egg-producing units near Codlea in the central part of the Nation infected with H5N1 strain HPAI. The farms concerned housed 42,000, 65,000 and 113,000 birds respectively all of which were depopulated.

A significant case in Germany comprised a flock of 65,000 commercial ducks in the state of Bavaria that were diagnosed and depleted on January 17th. 

In a commentary the website reported that the World Organization of Animal Health has documented the depletion of 10 million commercial birds over a five-week period covering December 2022 through early January 2023 with H5N1 as the principal serotype involved in outbreaks.