Bulgaria reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza among poultry, Reuters reported, citing the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on Friday, as Europe faces a seasonal upturn in the deadly disease.

The spread of avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has raised concerns among governments and the poultry industry after it ravaged flocks around the world in recent years, disrupting supply, fuelling higher food prices and raising the risk of human transmission.

The H5N1 virus was detected in a flock of 7,669 poultry in the village of Maritsa, causing the death of 764 birds, the Paris-based WOAH said, citing a report from the Bulgarian authorities.