On 20 August 2005, clinical, virological and serological monitoring established that domestic birds were infected or suspected of infection in 6 territorial divisions of Russia. However, mortality of birds is not significant, and as a rule, does not exceed 4-5% of the total flock in the locality. One of the reasons for this is the application of stringent veterinary measures against suspected cases: homes suspected of infection in villages are isolated until a general slaughter, and birds suspected of contact are slaughtered. The main method used to control the disease is slaughter of infected birds and suspect cases, and sanitary measures. Vaccination is not being conducted.

Transfer of the virus from one village to another has not been established, and spread of infection within villages is slow. Infected localities do not form clusters. There are two main reasons for this: first, stringent quarantine measures; and second, long average distances between localities (on average 12 km). Practically all the infected localities are close to reedy lakes or marshes used by wild ducks. In these villages, the first birds to be affected are those kept in homes close to reservoirs.

Not a single poultry plant (large closed commercial poultry plants with more than 20,000 birds) has been found to be infected or to contain a seropositive bird for A influenza of any subtype.

One infected farm has been identified (a free-range goose farm in Altai Territory with approximately 10,000 birds) and was depopulated the day after the infection was discovered.

Human infection has not been established, despite careful monitoring of residents of affected villages, staff of veterinary laboratories and people engaged in the slaughter and disposal of birds. Infection of pigs in the affected localities has not been established.

There is still a risk of new outbreaks of the disease appearing in domestic birds. This is most likely to occur on 20 August (migration of birds from northern to southern Siberia) and in mid-September (migration of wild water fowl to their wintering grounds).

The level of infection of the population of wild ducks and geese is not known precisely, but is assumed to be extremely widespread. In all the places listed below, deaths of wild ducks have been reported.

The number of affected areas (i.e. areas where circulation of the virus or H5 antibodies are present, independently of whether there have been deaths of birds or clinical signs of influenza) breaks down as follows:

In the affected areas the number of birds destroyed was as follows:

During the monitoring and diagnosis process, approximately 32,000 tests have been conducted. The main laboratory screening methods used are the following: haemagglutination test, haemagglutination inhibition test, ELISA (revealing antibodies to NP protein) and PCR (revealing the H5 gene in tissue and excrement).