Spanish authorities have identified four outbreaks of bird flu in wild birds within the central Madrid region. Forestry agents have reported collecting hundreds of dead storks over the past few weeks, including more than a hundred in just the last 24 hours. This alarming trend is part of a larger and unprecedented increase in bird flu cases across Europe this season, with thousands of cases in wild birds detected in 29 countries, according to the European Food Safety Authority.
Fortunately, Madrid’s regional government has confirmed that no commercial poultry farms have been affected thus far, and there is no significant threat to human health. The authorities are actively addressing the situation by removing the deceased birds while adhering to strict biosecurity measures to curb the potential spread of the virus.
The storks, which migrate from northern Europe, are believed to be carriers of the virus. The highly pathogenic avian influenza has previously led to the culling of hundreds of millions of farmed birds globally, resulting in disruptions to food supplies and rising prices. However, human cases of the virus remain rare.
Miguel Higueras Ortega, head of forestry operations in Madrid, emphasized that based on the current behavior of the outbreaks in Spain and across Europe, there is no significant risk to human health. He noted that no cases of transmission to humans have been recorded, and for now, the outbreaks do not appear to be an environmental threat. The situation is being closely monitored as authorities continue to implement measures to safeguard both wildlife and public health.