Spain self-declares free of avian influenza after managing 16 outbreaks across seven autonomous communities
Spain has officially regained its status as a country free of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), according to the self-declaration submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on 10 February 2026 by Dr. Emilio García Muro, Spain’s delegate to the international body and Director General of Agri-food Production Health and Animal Welfare at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA).
The declaration, officially published by WOAH on 18 February 2026, brings to an end a period of more than six months marked by the successive detection of 16 outbreaks of the H5N1 virus on poultry holdings across seven autonomous communities: Extremadura, Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, the Community of Madrid, Castilla y León, Catalonia and, to a lesser extent, other regions of the country. The first outbreak was confirmed on 18 July 2025 on a turkey fattening holding in Ahillones (Badajoz), and the last occurred in Castellnou de Seana (Lleida), where cleaning and disinfection operations were completed on 10 January 2026.
“Spain managed 16 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry spread across seven autonomous communities between July 2025 and January 2026.”
Valladolid, the epicentre of the crisis
The province of Valladolid recorded the highest number of outbreaks, with seven confirmed cases between September and October 2025, affecting mainly laying hen holdings in the districts of Olmedo and Medina del Campo. The scale of the situation led the authorities of Castilla y León, in coordination with MAPA and the European Commission, to establish an Additional Restriction Zone (ARZ) extending the perimeter of the standard restriction zone by 10 kilometres. Within this area, reinforced controls on the movement of birds, biosecurity inspections and intensified surveillance were imposed.
On its own, one of the affected holdings in Valladolid — the largest in terms of flock size — housed more than 761,000 birds, while another exceeded 713,000 head, giving an indication of the operational scale of the interventions.
“The province of Valladolid was the worst affected, with seven outbreaks that necessitated the establishment of an Additional Restriction Zone with extraordinary control measures.”
Wild birds, the primary vector
Epidemiological investigations carried out at each of the outbreaks point to direct or indirect contact with infected wild birds as the primary cause of virus introduction onto the farms. During the period under review, 156 positive cases were detected in wild birds distributed across virtually the entire mainland territory, with the exception of Murcia, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The species most affected included common cranes, yellow-legged gulls, white storks, greylag geese and grey herons, among others.
In addition, six outbreaks were recorded in captive birds in the Basque Country, Andalusia, the Valencian Community and the Community of Madrid, including cases in zoological collections and non-commercial holdings.
A flock under constant surveillance
Spain has a total poultry population of 311.4 million birds, of which 293.5 million are Gallus gallus, predominantly reared for meat production. This figure is supplemented by 17.3 million turkeys and more than 600,000 ducks. The communities of Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León account for more than one third of the national flock.
To monitor this vast population, Spain has operated a National Avian Influenza Surveillance Programme since 2003, encompassing both active and passive surveillance components covering poultry, wild birds and captive birds alike. A network of 25 official laboratories, coordinated by the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Algete, ensures diagnostic capacity through ELISA and RT-PCR techniques accredited to the ISO 17025 standard.
“Disease-free status may be regained after a minimum period of 28 days following completion of the stamping-out operation.”
Reinforced preventive measures
Throughout the episode, the Spanish authorities adopted a series of additional preventive measures. In April 2025, the zones classified as being at special risk were updated. From November of that same year, free-range rearing was prohibited across the entire national territory and gatherings of birds were suspended, as a result of the elevation of the alert level.
MAPA produces a weekly risk analysis report on virus incursion in order to adapt measures to the evolving epidemiological situation in real time. Furthermore, a One Health-approach simulation exercise is planned for the first half of 2026 involving animal health, public health, environment and food safety authorities.
It is worth noting that vaccination was not employed as a control tool at any point. All interventions were based on the stamping out of affected birds, followed by cleaning and disinfection, and the establishment of protection and surveillance zones with movement restrictions.
“Vaccination of poultry has not been used to control the confirmed outbreaks.”
Recovery of status in accordance with the Terrestrial Code
The self-declaration is based on Article 10.4.6 of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, which allows for the restoration of disease-free status at least 28 days (equivalent to two incubation periods) after the completion of the stamping-out operation at the last outbreak, provided that adequate surveillance has been carried out. All holdings located within the protection and surveillance zones were placed under standstill and investigated through clinical surveillance and, where appropriate, sampling analysed by PCR, with negative results in all cases.
Spain had obtained its previous self-declaration of freedom on 11 March 2023 and maintained it without interruption until the emergence of the first outbreak in July 2025.
Source:
-. FEBRUARY 2026 SELF-DECLARATION BY SPAIN AS A COUNTRY FREE OF HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (HPAI). Self-declaration submitted to WOAH on 10 February 2026 by Dr. Emilio García Muro, Spain’s Delegate to WOAH, Director General of Agri-food Production Health and Animal Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA). (Full PDF, 25 pages)
For more information on Avian Influenza:
-. News on Vaccination of poultry farmers and staff in contact with production birds to prevent zoonosis risks.
-. News on Vaccination of production birds to prevent AI outbreaks
-. Avian Influenza on NeXusAvicultura
Tracking of Avian Influenza cases on poultry farms in Spain in 2025:
-. 1st outbreak of 2025 (18 July, Extremadura): Alert over an Avian Influenza outbreak on a 7,000-turkey farm in Extremadura
-. 2nd outbreak (28 July, Toledo): Second AI outbreak detected, this time on a breeder holding in Toledo
-. 3rd outbreak (1 Sept., Huelva): The spectre of H5N1 returns to Andalusia: 8,500 turkeys culled due to avian influenza in Huelva.
-. 4th outbreak (8 Sept., Guadalajara): Spain records its fourth AI outbreak of 2025, this time on a breeder farm in Guadalajara
-. 5th outbreak (9 Sept., Huelva): H5N1 positive confirmed on a farm of 8,400 fattening turkeys in Valverde del Camino, Huelva, Andalusia
-. 6th outbreak (19 Sept., Valladolid): H5N1-type AI detected on a 760,000-hen laying farm in Valladolid
-. 7th, 8th and 9th outbreaks (1 Oct., Valladolid and Madrid): 552,000 laying hens affected by three new AI outbreaks in Madrid and Valladolid
-. 10th outbreak (6 Oct., Valladolid): Tenth Avian Influenza outbreak detected in Spain. More than 800,000 laying hens to be culled.
-. 11th outbreak (13 Oct., Valladolid): Eleventh Avian Influenza outbreak detected in Spain on a 66,000-hen laying farm.
-. 12th outbreak (15 Oct., Valladolid): 315,000 new laying hens affected in the latest outbreak
-. 13th outbreak (16 Oct., Toledo): 112,000 laying hens in Yeles, Toledo
-. 14th outbreak (20 Oct., Valladolid): 54,000 broilers in Valladolid (from 20 Oct. to 24 Dec. there were no cases on poultry farms in Spain).
-. 15th outbreak (24 Dec., Lleida): A 230,000-hen laying farm in Lleida severely affected by Avian Influenza on Christmas Eve
Tracking of Avian Influenza cases on poultry farms in Spain in 2026:
-. 1st outbreak (and only one to date) of 2026 (9 January, Lleida): First Avian Influenza outbreak of 2026 in Spain. Secondary to the 24 December outbreak in Bellpuig, occurring on a 9,000-breeder holding.