Report concludes with good animal health in Norway – despite large outbreak of bird flu

– The animal health we have here in Norway is very good, but it is not a given. That we achieve and maintain the same high level is thanks to targeted work and good interaction between the Norwegian authorities, the livestock industries and research and administrative support institutions, explains Merete Hofshagen, director of the department for animal health, animal welfare and food safety at the Veterinary Institute.

The animal health report for 2023 is the fifth in a row. It shows that Norwegian animals are doing well, despite some disease outbreaks of listed diseases.

An outbreak of bird flu killed at least 24,000 crutches in Troms and Finnmark.

– We have had several outbreaks of bird flu in recent years, and we see that the presence of the virus is increasing. And although avian flu is mainly a bird disease, there is increased infection from birds to mammals worldwide, says Hofshagen.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s managing director, Ingunn Midttun Godal, asks those who work with animals to be aware of a change in the risk of infection.

– We see that the risk picture has changed in recent years. It is important that everyone who works with animals has up-to-date knowledge that the risk picture is changing and that this is taken into account in the daily infection control routines, so that we can prevent outbreaks of serious infectious animal diseases in the years to come, says Midttun Godal.