Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) rapidly returned to Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia shortly after Poland’s first report of the disease in several flocks at the end of December.

Slovakia reported a case in a backyard flock of mixed poultry. The disease has not been reported in Eastern Europe since 2017.

Hungary reported two outbreaks of H5N8 HPAI in commercial flocks. The first confirmation was in a flock of young turkeys.  The next day 115,000 ducks were reported on the eastern border of Romania. Both of the outbreaks in Hungary are presumed due to contact with wild birds.

Very close to the border of Hungary and Ukraine, Romania reported an outbreak involving almost 18,700 birds. Poland reported an additional three outbreaks bringing its total to 11 confirmations since December of last year.