On 3 January 2025, an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in a laying hen farm in the municipality of Sintra, a town 30 km from Lisbon, Portugal.
Control and eradication measures were immediately implemented by the services of the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Affairs (DGAV) of Portugal, in accordance with the avian influenza contingency plan.
These actions include inspection of the site where the disease was detected, depopulation of affected animals, cleaning and disinfection of the premises, movement restrictions, and surveillance of poultry holdings located within the restriction zones, within a radius of up to 10 km around the outbreak.
Poultry farmers bear primary responsibility for the health status of their animals and must immediately report any suspicion of disease to the relevant authorities — in the case of Portugal, the DGAV. Early detection of outbreaks is essential to rapidly implement control measures, preventing the spread of the disease and minimising losses for the sector.
In light of evidence of HPAI virus circulation, the DGAV has issued a call to all poultry farmers and, more broadly, to all bird owners, to strictly comply with biosecurity measures and good poultry production practices. These include avoiding direct or indirect contact between domestic poultry and wild birds, reinforcing hygiene procedures for facilities, equipment and materials, and applying rigorous access control to premises where birds are kept.
Information on prevention and biosecurity is available on the page dedicated to Avian Influenza on the DGAV portal, where a poster, information leaflets and a video can be found.
Furthermore, the “Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária” (DGAV) of Portugal issued an official communiqué on 6 January, reproduced below:
NOTICE No. 26
HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA
Susana Guedes Pombo, Director-General for Food and Veterinary Affairs, acting as the National Veterinary Health Authority, hereby makes public that:
Avian influenza is a viral infectious disease affecting wild birds, poultry and other birds kept in captivity. Infections caused by avian influenza viruses occur in two forms: low pathogenicity viruses cause only mild disease symptoms, while highly pathogenic viruses cause very high mortality, particularly in poultry, with a significant impact on the health of domestic and wild birds, as well as on poultry production. This is because the disease can lead to the suspension of trade in live birds and their products in affected areas, as well as potentially restricting the export of birds and products at the national level.
Control measures for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) are defined in Decree-Law No. 39,209 of 14 May 1953 and Decree-Law No. 110/2007 of 16 April. The provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March, and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 2020/687 of 17 December 2019, also apply.
Since the beginning of autumn 2024, 3 cases of HPAI virus infection in wild birds have been detected in Portugal, and on 3 January 2025, an outbreak of this disease was confirmed at a commercial egg production poultry establishment located in Assafora, in the parish of São João das Lampas e Terrugem, municipality of Sintra.
Following detection of this outbreak, health restriction zones were defined in accordance with applicable legislation: a protection zone and a surveillance zone, with radii of 3 and 10 kilometres respectively, centred on the affected establishment.
Pursuant to the provisions of Articles 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 29, 30, 31 and 34 of Decree-Law No. 110/2007 of 16 April, and Articles 27 and 42 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 2020/687 of 17 December 2019, the following is hereby determined:
- Poultry and captive birds, including domestic birds, located within the territory of mainland Portugal, must remain confined to their housing to prevent contact with wild birds.
- Within the protection and surveillance zones, indicated on the attached maps, the following activities are prohibited:
2.1. Movement of birds from establishments located in those zones.
2.2. Movement of birds to establishments in those zones.
2.3. Restocking with game bird species.
2.4. Fairs, markets, exhibitions and other events involving birds in those zones.
2.5. Movement of fresh meat, including offal, and poultry-derived products from slaughterhouses or processing establishments located in those zones.
2.6. Movement of hatching eggs from establishments in those zones.
2.7. Movement of eggs for human consumption from establishments in those zones.
2.8. Movement of animal by-products derived from birds from establishments in those zones.
- In all circumstances, poultry owners must send food chain information (FCI) to slaughterhouse operators at least 24 hours before the animals arrive at the slaughterhouse.
- The prohibition referred to in point 2.5 does not apply to heat-treated products mentioned in Article 27(3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 2020/687, provided that the conditions set out in paragraph 4 of the same article are met.
- Exceptionally, and in relation to points 2.5 and 2.7, the movement of fresh poultry meat, poultry-derived products and eggs for human consumption within national territory, from establishments in the protection and surveillance zones, may only take place upon acceptance by the destination establishment, as defined in the procedure “Exceptions to the prohibition on movement of animals and products in restricted zones”, available on the DGAV portal.
- The DGAV may grant other exemptions to the prohibitions listed in point 2, in accordance with applicable legislation.
- The duration of the measures determined in point 2, for each outbreak, is indicated in the annex.
- In areas of high risk for the introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, the measures included in Avian Influenza Notice No. 19, of 11 December 2024, remain in force.
- Infringements of this Notice shall be sanctioned in accordance with Decree-Law No. 39,209 of 14 May 1953 and Decree-Law No. 110/2007 of 16 April.
This Notice enters into force immediately, and all veterinary, police and administrative authorities are requested to ensure its strict and rigorous compliance.
Lisbon, 04/01/2025.
The Director-General,
Susana Guedes Pombo
Annex 1 – Map of the restriction zones for outbreak No. 2025/01, list of affected areas and duration of measures
A. Map of the health restriction zones.
B. Affected geographical areas:
Protection zone:
- District: Lisbon.
- Municipality: Sintra.
- Parish: São João das Lampas e Terrugem.
Surveillance zone:
- District: Lisbon.
- Municipality: Mafra:
- Parishes: Ericeira, Igreja Nova e Cheleiros, Carvoeira, Malveira e São Miguel de Alcainça.
- Municipality: Sintra:
- Parishes: União das Freguesias de Sintra (Santa Maria e São Miguel, São Martinho e São Pedro de Penaferrim), Almargem do Bispo, Pêro Pinheiro e Montelavar, Colares.
C. Duration of restriction measures:
Outbreak No.: 2025/01.
Start of restrictions: 04/01/2025.
Lifting of restrictions: 10/02/2025.
Further information:
-. Official communiqué from MAPA of the Spanish Government (7 January 2025)
-. Official communiqué from DGAV (Notice No. 26)
-. Avian Influenza on NeXusAvicultura.com