The avian flu virus has been confirmed as the cause of at least 68 bird deaths in Sevilla’s Parque del Tamarguillo.
The City Council of Sevilla announced the findings after laboratory tests carried out by Spain’s National Reference Laboratory in Algete, under the Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed the presence of avian influenza.
Authorities are now waiting for final results to determine whether the strain is of high or low pathogenicity, which will dictate the next steps in the official response.
According to the council, several measures were taken as soon as the first dead birds were reported last week.
The park, situated in the northeast of the city, behind the airport, was closed as a precaution and water samples and necropsies were requested.
Preliminary results ruled out contamination of the water, with no heavy metals, pesticides or toxins detected and cyanobacteria also discarded as a cause.
The council also asked the regional Agriculture Department to run additional tests for bird flu and Newcastle disease, while maintaining close coordination with the Junta de Andalucia through its Environment, Health and Agriculture departments.
Necropsy results are expected within 20 days, while tests continue to establish the virulence of the avian flu strain.
Beyond the immediate emergency, the council says it is working on a new urban wildlife management plan covering all of Sevilla’s parks.
Until now, there has been no regulated system for managing wild fauna. From now on, it will be incorporated into the city’s planning alongside tree care and green spaces, with the aim of protecting public health, safety and animal welfare.
Tamarguillo Park will remain closed until the final results are known. Officials say these will determine whether the outbreak can be contained swiftly or if tougher restrictions will be needed to stop the spread of the virus across the city’s green spaces.
Are humans at risk?
- Most strains of avian influenza (such as low-pathogenic H5 or H7) do not usually infect humans and are mainly a risk for birds.
- Some highly pathogenic strains, like H5N1 or H7N9, have occasionally jumped to humans, typically after direct and close contact with infected birds, their droppings, or contaminated environments.
- Human-to-human transmission is extremely rare and has never resulted in sustained outbreaks.
The Spanish authorities in the Tamarguillo Park case are still waiting to confirm whether the strain detected is low or high pathogenicity. That result will determine both the animal health risk and whether public health precautions are needed.
In practical terms, for people in Sevilla, unless someone has had direct handling of the dead birds, the risk is very low. The park’s closure is a precaution to limit exposure until the final lab results are in.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
