The Government on the risk of avian flu in the Balearic Islands: "The progression is very worrying"

PalmRisk maps of avian flu The weekly reports received by the Balearic Government "indicate a very worrying progression" in the Islands, as announced this Tuesday by the Director General of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, Fernando Fernández, during the presentation of the animal health report and the main control systems in the Balearic Islands. "We are at the critical point of risk for avian flu," he insisted. However, he celebrated that there are no outbreaks of the disease in the Balearic Islands and assured that the strategy adopted by the Executive to address it "is working well." The Government has relaxed the measures imposed by the Spanish government, since the ministerial order states that the autonomous communities can adjust the measures to adapt them to the realities of their farms, and has not confined the birds. However, last month the Executive tightened precautions and extended the measure to all municipalities in the Islands. The Ministry of Agriculture has also activated preventative measures, such as the confinement of birds when their protection from contact with wild birds cannot be guaranteed, the prohibition of poultry fairs and markets, and the reinforcement of epidemiological surveillance, especially in wetlands and migratory route areas. In this regard, a new unified protocol for the detection of avian influenza has been developed, targeting wild birds, poultry, captive birds, and game birds. During 2025, controls were increased by 64 percent compared to the national program, with 61 actions taken, while in 2024, 37 were carried out. "However, we are particularly concerned about the low reporting of moribund or dead wild birds for sampling," the director explained.

Therefore, he explained that "the new early detection protocol for avian influenza in wild birds, which has already been developed and is being implemented, will establish a system through the 112 emergency number so that any citizen who sees a dead bird in unusual circumstances can report it and the bird will be collected." Similarly, the director general stated that this year samples have been taken from 11 dead birds, all of which tested negative, and that the protocol aims to "focus heavily on wild birds and game birds."

Bluetongue

In recent years, the Balearic Islands have suffered several outbreaks of bluetongue associated with serotypes 1, 3, and 8. The director general explained that vaccination against the disease is crucial. Bluetongue serotype three The variant detected this year began a week after the Balearic Government detected an outbreak of the disease on several farms in Mallorca. However, this year the Government changed the strategy it had used to combat the disease during the outbreaks of serotypes one and eight. As a result, the Executive has managed to "sufficiently slow the spread of the disease to allow for a more measured approach," Fernández stated. He also pointed out that thanks to this strategy, Menorca and Formentera remained free of the disease, while only one isolated outbreak was recorded in Ibiza. Furthermore, Fernández explained that the virulence of serotype three transmission "is slower and much less acute" than that of serotype eight. In this regard, he detailed that 149 outbreaks of serotype three have been detected, while 854 outbreaks of serotype eight and 375 outbreaks of variant four were recorded in 2021. Regarding vaccination coverage for serotype three, Fernández stated that in the Balearic Islands, vaccination has already reached 76% in Mallorca, where practically all the outbreaks are concentrated, while in Ibiza, despite only one outbreak being declared approximately three weeks ago, vaccination already covers 46% of the sheep population. The percentage of sick animals on farms that have declared an outbreak is around 11% on average, while the overall mortality rate is 5.2%, with the most severe cases concentrated on farms affected at the beginning of the outbreak. Furthermore, eight farms have been identified where these rates have skyrocketed, exceeding 50% and reaching 80% in some cases. Fernández specified that in municipalities like Búger and Calvià, mortality surpasses 15%.

African Swine Fever

The recent detection in Catalonia of African Swine Fever African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar has forced a redirection and reinforcement of the surveillance and control strategy implemented in the Balearic Islands in compliance with the national program. ASF controls are carried out with approximately 700 analyses annually. Furthermore, a special protocol for action against ASF has been developed, which includes monitoring all pig movements arriving in the Balearic Islands. A methodology for classifying pig farms according to risk level has also been developed, and 32 high-risk farms have been identified. These farms will be surveyed and their biosecurity plans developed in the coming weeks. Fernández noted that, although the ASF outbreak in Catalonia may be brought under control in the coming weeks, European regulations establish a 12-month period from the last declared outbreak during which all autonomous communities must strengthen their surveillance programs. On the other hand, the Director General assured that he cannot prohibit the import of pork into the Balearic Islands "in any way" because "we are in a single European market" and because, he added, "there are no health reasons to prevent it." Regarding contagious nodular dermatosis, the Ministry is maintaining heightened surveillance following outbreaks in France and Catalonia, and is implementing precautionary measures, such as restricting cattle movements, suspending fairs, and exhaustively controlling animal transport. So far, all samples analyzed have tested negative. In conclusion, the Director General stated that, despite the complexity of the situation and almost three years of continuous alerts, "we can affirm that animal health in the Balearic Islands remains stable, thanks to the constant work of the official veterinary services, the involvement of the livestock sector, and the active collaboration of the Animal Defense Groups."

Effects of health alerts

The director explained that bluetongue has influenced the rise in lamb prices, which he described as "sharp." This pattern is mirrored in the poultry sector, where increased demand, coupled with the avian flu crisis, has also led to a rise in egg prices. However, Fernández pointed out that pork prices have fallen because "there are animals remaining in the domestic market that cannot be sold abroad." Nevertheless, he predicted that pork prices will remain stable and "could even rise slightly," he forecasted.