Animal diseases in Finland 2021

This publication contains information on the animal disease situation in Finland during 2021. Topical information on occurrence of the diseases to be combated under the law and certain other infections in various animal species in Finland has been compiled. The publication also describes the measures taken to prevent and combat animal diseases. The animal disease situation of 2021 was different from the general good situation in Finland. In our country, highly pathogenic avian influenza was first diagnosed in poultry, and in Åland there were cases of IHN in salmonids and varroa mite infection in bees. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is classified as a category A animal disease under the EU Animal Health Regulation, Finland has had official freedom of disease from IHN, with the exception of the 2017—2018 continental epidemic restricted zone, and Åland has had official disease-free status from infestation with Varroa. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to present challenges for the sector’s operations. Since minks in particular are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection of fur animals, the control program of fur animals started in 2020 was continued as well as to prepare for corona infestation of fur animals. Continuous monitoring of the coronal situation in fur farms important, since epidemics that persist in large numbers of animals allow new virus variants to emerge. Although the year was challenging, it also included plenty of successes and the health level of Finnish domestic and farmed animals can still be considered good. Finland remained free of strategically important animal diseases such as enzootic bovine leucosis, IBR and BVD infections, PRRS infections in swine and Echinococcus multilocularis infection. In 2020, Finland applied for official disease freedom status for rabies, bluetongue disease and BVD. Official disease-free country status for Rabies and bluetongue disease was obtained in 2021, and intensified surveillance sampling carried out during the year of the BVD led to the obtaining of disease freedom in early 2022.