The first avian influenza outbreak of 2026 in Spain has been confirmed. It occurred on a farm of 9,000 breeder hens less than 10 km from the primary focus of 24 December in Bellpuig.
nnnnLleida, Friday 9 Jan. 2026, 18:00 hrs. The Govern and the Department of Agriculture of the Generalitat de Catalunya have confirmed the detection of a new focus of avian influenza on a farm in Castellnou de Seana (Pla d’Urgell), located just 3 kilometres from the initial Bellpuig focus. This case, announced on 9 January 2026, is a secondary outbreak linked to the first confirmed case during the Christmas Eve period, which affected 235,000 laying hens in Bellpuig. Its detection was accelerated thanks to the control measures applied to all farms located within a 10 km radius of the 24 December 2025 focus, which caused 2025 to close with a total of nearly 3 million farmed birds culled in Spain across the 15 outbreaks of 2025.
Less than 6 km from the affected municipality, Castellnou de Seana, lie the “Estanys d’Ivars“, a freshwater lake and protected natural area of 155 hectares that serves as a stopover for numerous migratory birds.
Detection was achieved rapidly and at an early stage thanks to the preventive testing that authorities are conducting on all farms located within the control radius established following the first outbreak. According to sources, the affected farm has a capacity of 9,000 breeder birds (hens and approximately one thousand roosters), which will be culled immediately in accordance with sanitary protocols to contain the spread of the virus.
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Suspicion was first raised on 8 January 2026 following the detection of an abnormal increase in mortality on the farm. The farm had already been subject to restriction measures since the confirmation of the neighbouring focus of 24 December, which resulted in the loss of 235,000 laying hens.
Preventive culling and carcass disposal operations were carried out on 9 January, prior to receiving the definitive laboratory results, and preliminary cleaning and disinfection took place on Saturday 10 January, as reported by MAPA in an official communiqué.
With regard to the Central Administration, on 13 January 2026 the official RASVE list of Latest registered notifications of notifiable animal diseases in Spain was updated, meaning this most recent outbreak has now been officially confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture.
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In response to this new situation, the following emergency measures have been activated:
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- Extension of the surveillance radius: A new security perimeter of 10 kilometres has been established around the affected farm in the municipal district of Castellnou de Seana. nnnn
- Additional municipalities affected: Restrictions and surveillance now extend to four additional municipalities: Bellvís, La Fuliola (or Fuliola), Linyola and El Poal. nnnn
- Inspections and biosecurity: Four new farms within the control zone will be inspected, and cleaning, disinfection and sanitary control operations will be intensified in coordination with the Department of Health. n
The aim of these actions is the total eradication of the outbreak through strict movement controls and constant surveillance of birds within the perimeter area.
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To learn more about Avian Influenza:
-. News on Vaccination of poultry farmers and personnel in contact with production birds to prevent zoonosis risks.
-. News on Vaccination of production birds to prevent AI outbreaks
-. Avian Influenza on NeXusAvicultura
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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 farm of 7,000 turkeys in Extremadura
-. 2nd outbreak (28 July, Toledo): Second AI focus detected, this time in breeder hens 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 the farm of 8,400 poultry in Valverde del Camino, Huelva, Andalusia
-. 6th outbreak (19 Sept., Valladolid): H5N1-type AI detected on a farm of 760,000 laying hens 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 focus detected in Spain on a farm of 66,000 laying hens.
-. 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 broiler chickens in Valladolid (from 20 Oct. to 24 Dec. there were no cases on poultry farms in Spain).
-. 15th outbreak (24 Dec., Lleida): Farm of 230,000 laying hens in Lleida hit by Avian Influenza on Christmas Eve
Tracking of Avian Influenza cases on poultry farms in Spain in 2026:
-. 1st outbreak of 2026 (9 January, Lleida): First Avian Influenza outbreak of 2026 in Spain. Secondary to the Bellpuig outbreak of 24 December, occurring on a farm of 9,000 breeder hens.
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