Valencia, 9 April 2026 – The veterinary authorities of the Comunidad Valenciana have reported a new Newcastle disease outbreak on a broiler farm located in the municipality of Ráfol de Salem, in the Vall D’Albaida region (province of Valencia), situated just over 10 km from a previous outbreak reported in the municipality of Terrateig on 9 March. The total number of Newcastle disease outbreaks reported in Spain in poultry during the current season now stands at 7, all detected in the province of Valencia.
The confirmed farm has a flock of 26,300 broilers aged 35 days, and suspicion of the disease arose following notification of an increase in mortality of approximately 10% of the animals on 4 April. The birds were vaccinated according to information received. Samples taken by the Official Veterinary Services (SVO) of the Generalitat Valenciana were sent to the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Algete, the National Reference Laboratory for Newcastle disease in Spain, where the presence of a velogenic strain of the virus was confirmed by PCR.
The SVO immediately implemented the following measures, as established in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687:
- Immediate standstill of the affected farm from the date of suspicion.
- Conduct of an epidemiological investigation to determine the possible origin and farms at risk due to movements of persons and vehicles.
- Depopulation of the confirmed farm is under way, along with the destruction of carcasses, feed and other fomites that could transmit the virus, at an authorised processing plant.
- Establishment of a restriction zone around the outbreak. Within a 3 km radius there are 4 commercial farms, and within a 3 to 10 km radius there are 13 commercial farms.
In addition, the Comunidad Valenciana authorities have reported a suspected case on a laying hen farm with an approximate flock of 32,000 hens housed in two sheds, located 1 km from the broiler operation in Ráfol de Salem. Following the detection of nervous symptoms and low-level mortality, the SVO collected samples that were also sent to the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Algete, where the presence of the virus was confirmed by PCR, although pathogenicity results are still pending.
MAPA recommends strengthening passive surveillance both on poultry farms and in wild birds, reporting any suspicion of disease to the official veterinary services, as well as reinforcing biosecurity measures on poultry farms, especially those measures aimed at preventing contact with wild birds, including sanitary prophylaxis measures, in particular the use of vaccines. Although vaccination does not provide 100% protection, it does reduce the risk of birds becoming infected, as well as reducing the amount of virus shed by vaccinated and infected birds, thereby limiting the risk of virus spread to new farms.
Chronology of Newcastle outbreaks in Spain:
After more than three years (since 2022) without any Newcastle case in Spain, the situation in the Comunidad Valenciana has deteriorated since the resurgence of this disease in December 2025. The outbreaks to date are as follows:
- The origin (Outbreak 1): The disease reappeared in Spain in late December 2025 in the municipality of Llutxent (Valencia), on a farm of 15,000 chickens, breaking Spain’s disease-free status that had been maintained since 2022.
- The spread (Outbreaks 2, 3 and 4): On 2 January 2026, three new secondary outbreaks were confirmed in the same municipality, affecting farms with flocks of 28,500, 16,500 and 20,100 birds. The investigation pointed to geographical proximity and links between owners as transmission factors.
- The fifth case (20 January 2026) on a farm of 75,000 broilers.
- Sixth outbreak (9 March 2026) in Terrateig, affecting a single shed of 27,000 hens in a poultry complex.
- Seventh outbreak (9 April 2026) on a farm of 26,300 broilers in Ráfol de Salem.
Further reading:
-. What is Newcastle Disease?
-. National Newcastle Surveillance Programme 2026. (14-page MAPA PDF published in May 2025)
-. Main page on Newcastle Disease Control from MAPA
-. Newcastle Disease on NeXusAvicultura
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