HPAI cases increase across Europe, Japan
Belgium has mandated the confinement of all poultry indoors beginning Thursday, October 23, after the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 on a turkey farm near Diksmuide in the country’s north. The outbreak occurred within the wetland zone surrounding the Blankaart Nature Reserve, a major gathering site for migratory waterfowl. The Blankaart wetland complex, composed of an artificial lake (Blankaart Waterproduce Centrum) and an extensive network of drainage canals, is regarded as one of Belgium’s most sensitive areas for avian influenza transmission due to its high density of wild birds.
France raised its national alert level to “high” on October 21, requiring all poultry to be housed indoors, while the Netherlands implemented similar measures the previous week. Dutch authorities have confirmed the culling of approximately 161,000 chickens following a new H5N1 outbreak in the central-eastern region.
Denmark has recorded two recent HPAI H5N1 incidents in commercial poultry. On 8 October 2025, authorities confirmed an outbreak in a large laying-hen flock near Fredericia (southeastern Jutland); approximately 150,000 chickens were ordered culled. On 22 October 2025, H5N1 was detected in a turkey farm of ~36,000 birds at Ruds Vedby, Sorø (Zealand).
In addition, Slovakia has reported a confirmed case of avian influenza on a mixed poultry farm near the Polish border, and Japan has announced a new HPAI outbreak on an egg farm in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, in the northern part of the country.
