According to a note from DGAV, on Friday, a case of infection by the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) was confirmed in a white stork, collected in Bairro do Progresso, in Silves, Faro district.

“This HPAI focus highlights the high risk of the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the country”, warned the DGAV, explaining that, taking into account that it is a wild animal, no restriction zones have been defined.

The stork was sent to the Center for Recovery and Investigation of Wild Animals (RIAS), in Olhão.

With this case, the number of bird flu outbreaks in Portugal rose to 16.

The first case was confirmed on November 30, 2021, in a domestic poultry house in the municipality of Palmela, Setúbal.

Of the total, 11 outbreaks were detected in domestic birds, “including commercial farms of turkeys, chickens and ducks, as well as a private collection of cosmetic birds and poultry and five outbreaks in wild birds”.

These cases were confirmed in the districts of Leiria, Lisbon, Santarém, Setúbal, Beja and Faro.