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Published Date: 2007-02-12 22:00:02
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (32): UK (England), China (Hong Kong), Turkey
Archive Number: 20070212.0534

AVIAN INFLUENZA (32): UK (ENGLAND), CHINA (HONG KONG), TURKEY
*************************************************************
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[1], [2], [3] UK (England), turkeys
[4] China (Hong Kong), wild birds
[5] Turkey (Diyarbakir), poultry
******
[1] UK (England), turkeys
Date: Mon 12 Feb 2007
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: DEFRA NEWS RELEASE Ref: 42/07 [edited]

Avian influenza outbreak - update
-------------------------------------
Following meetings this afternoon [12 Feb 2007] on the outbreak of
avian influenza in a Suffolk poultry farm 9 days ago, Secretary of
State David Miliband said: "On Sat 3 Feb 2007, the highly pathogenic
H5N1 avian influenza was confirmed on a poultry farm in Lowestoft. A
3-km Protection Zone and 10-km Surveillance Zone were imposed along
with a wider Restricted Zone. The humane slaughter of the 159 000
birds on site began the same day under the supervision of the State
Veterinary Service (SVS) and was completed on the evening of Mon 5
Feb 2007.
"I have today [12 Feb 2007] held meetings with my veterinary
officials, representatives of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the
Health Protection Agency (HPA). I have also met the Hungarian
Ambassador and spoken with my Hungarian counterpart, Minister Graf. I
received reports on 3 issues:
1st, containment and eradication of the disease. The SVS has been
carrying out extensive surveillance in the restricted areas, working
closely with local authorities in Suffolk and Norfolk and other
agencies. Any samples taken are being tested, and no further cases of
bird flu beyond those on the Infected Premises have been found.
Following cleansing and disinfection on the Holton site, the Meat
Hygiene Service has re-licensed the slaughterhouse following the SVS
inspection and clearance for reopening.
Secondly, our investigation of the cause of the outbreak continues.
Nothing I have been told changes the working hypothesis about the
most likely route of transmission following the genetic sequencing
results reported last Thursday, but all options remain under
consideration. I expect a further report by the end of the week.
Discussions are continuing with Bernard Matthews about biosecurity on
their site.
Our cooperation with the Hungarian Government remains intensive and
constructive. Our vets are in regular touch, and we are working
together to identify the origin of this outbreak."
Finally, on the public health aspects of the investigation, Dame
Deirdre Hutton [chair of the Food Standards Agency] commented:
"The investigation so far has not found anything that raises the risk
to public health. It is still a possibility that infected poultry has
entered the food chain, but the risk to public health remains low."
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
******
[2] UK (England), turkeys
Date: Mon 12 Feb 2007
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: BBC News [edited]
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/6355489.stm>

Bird flu farm resumes production
-------------------------------------
Bernard Matthews is to resume slaughtering and processing turkeys at
the Suffolk farm where bird flu was found earlier this month
[February 2007].
Live birds will be brought in under a special license allowing them
to cross into the exclusion zone.
Bird flu was confirmed at the plant in Holton on 3 Feb 2007, and 159
000 turkeys were culled.
Environment Secretary David Miliband said he had been "guided by
science" in allowing production to resume.
Mr. Miliband said: "We deliberately created an independent scientific
advisory body, the Food Standards Agency. The question that I asked
them is: Is it sensible? And they say yes, it is sensible, because
they investigated all of the aspects of this slaughterhouse, and they
believe them to be of an appropriate standard."
The turkeys will be brought into the factory from 0900 GMT on Tue 13
Feb 2007 from the 50 farms Bernard Matthews operates around the UK.
They will then be slaughtered, processed and sent out.
Officials are still trying to work out where the H5N1 virus found in
the farm came from. They have been investigating whether it could
have come from a wild bird or from infected poultry from Hungary.
The H5N1 strain was found on a Hungarian geese farm in January 2007,
and UK officials said later that the Suffolk strain "may well be
identical."
European Union officials said they were expecting results by Tuesday
[13 Feb 2007] of tests into whether the 2 strains were directly
linked. "However, the results cannot determine how the strain of bird
flu actually arrived in the UK," an official said.
The H5N1 virus, which causes bird flu, does not pose a large-scale
threat to humans, as it cannot pass easily from one person to
another. But experts fear the virus could mutate and trigger a flu
pandemic, potentially putting millions of human lives at risk.
TIMELINE
1 Feb: Vets called to Bernard Matthews farm in Suffolk after turkeys die.
3 Feb: Vets confirm H5N1 strain.
5 Feb: Environment minister says most likely cause is from wild bird,
but other possibilities were being investigated.
6 Feb: Cull of 159 000 turkeys completed at the farm.
8 Feb: Government vet suggests turkey meat from Hungary may be to
blame. Bernard Matthews denies link.
9 Feb: FSA examines whether infected meat may have entered food chain.
10 Feb: Supermarkets deny there has been a slump in poultry sales.
12 Feb: Slaughter and processing of turkeys to be resumed at plant,
it is announced.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The BBC reportage at the above URL includes an aerial map of the
Holton setup and a map of Hungary demonstrating the distance between
Szentes, the (eastern) location of the H5N1 outbreak in geese, and
the Bernard Matthews plant in Sarvar (western Hungary).
UK media is covering the issue intensively, mainly concentrating
around 2 main issues: the origin of the outbreak ("The Hungarian
connection") and public health aspects related to the marketing of
turkey meat from the Holton slaughterhouse.
The final results of the virus genotyping are expected in the near
future (allegedly tomorrow 13 Feb 2007) from the OIE reference
laboratory for HPAI, VLA Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey,
headed by Dr. Ian Brown. VLA is one of OIE's 7 HPAI reference
laboratories.
If the Hungarian and the UK strains are confirmed to be similar, the
details of the likely direct connection between the 2 outbreaks and
the location of the primary outbreak remain to be identified.
The mandate of OIE's reference laboratories is laid out in detail at
<http://oie.int/eng/oie/organisation/en_mandatLR.htm>.
One of the lab's obligations is the following: "In the case of
results that are confirmed positive for diseases that are reportable
to OIE, the Reference Laboratory should immediately inform the OIE
Delegate of the Member Country from which the samples originated as
well as the OIE Central Bureau." - Mod.AS]
******
[3] UK (England), turkeys
Date: Sun 11 Feb 2007
From: Jim Kent <jim.kent@virgin.net>

Inconsistent Hungarian poultry transport data?
-----------------------------------------------
I have just looked back at your initial report dated Fri 26 Jan 2007
on the H5N1 outbreak in Hungary [Archive 20070126.0347].
It is very worrying that the Defra report states that the TRACES
database shows no poultry products were transported from Hungary to
UK in the 3 months prior to the H5N1 outbreak on 24 Jan 2007, when
the BBC reports the weekly importation of partly processed turkey to
a processing plant beside the Suffolk outbreak site [see
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6344335.stm>].
Such imports were apparently occurring at least up until 6 Feb 2007,
according to The Sunday Times.
A Northern Ireland website describes what TRACES does very clearly:
"For trade with another EU state, you or your agent must provide
details of the consignment to your local DVO [Divisional Veterinary
Office]. ... Imports are notified through TRACES, and details of the
ITAHC [Intra Trade Animal Health Certificates] are also entered on
the system."
ITAHC can be applied for "via the TRACES website by completing Part 1
of the ITAHC online," so certification of regular transportation of
poultry from Hungary should easily be achieved.
"Note: if for any reason you are unable to notify the BIP [Border
Inspection Post] of the arrival of the goods using TRACES, you must
send a copy of a completed CVED [Common Veterinary Entry Document],
part 1, to the BIP. Failure to pre-notify the BIP of the arrival of
the goods will result in the goods being rejected for import."
See
<http://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/bdotg/action/detail?r.l1=1073858802&r.l3=1078152350&r.t=RESOURCES&type=RESOURCES&site=191&itemId=1078157141&r.i=1078157201&r.l2=1077717227&r.s=sc>
for fuller details.
If these regulations apply to all of the UK, why is there no record
on TRACES of a certificate permitting import of poultry from a
Hungarian source during January 2007? Hopefully, this inconsistency
can soon be resolved.
It would also be interesting to know the locations of the 4 infected
turkey sheds in relation to the processing plant [See the BBC report,
previous item No. 2].
--
Jim Kent
Retired EPO, Somerset
<jim.kent@virgin.net>
******
[4] China (Hong Kong), wild birds
Date: Sat 10 Feb 2007
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: Spiritindia.com [edited]
<http://www.spiritindia.com/health-care-news-articles-6429.html>

Two birds tested for H5 virus in Hong Kong
-----------------------------------------------
Preliminary testing of 2 silver-eared mesias found dead in Mong Kok
has indicated a suspected case of H5 avian flu, the Agriculture,
Fisheries & Conservation Department says.
The carcasses were collected by department staff at 101 - 109
Boundary Street following a public referral on 7 Feb 2007.
Stalls in the Bird Garden in Mong Kok were inspected today [10 Feb
2007], and no problems were found. The department will keep close
surveillance of pet bird stalls in the garden.
As for a suspected case involving a dead blue magpie found in Sham
Shui Po earlier, the bird was confirmed to have H5N1.
People should observe good personal hygiene. They should avoid
personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and clean hands
thoroughly after coming into contact with them.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[For a picture of the silver-eared mesia (_Leiothrix argentauris_), see
<http://www.pbase.com/robert/image/19561625>.
- Mod.AS]
******
[5] Turkey (Diyarbakir), poultry
Date: Mon 12 Feb 2007
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: AFP via Yahoo News [edited]
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070212/hl_afp/healthfluturkey_070212182230>

Preliminary tests detect bird flu in one more Turkish village
-----------------------------------------------
Preliminary tests have detected bird flu among poultry in another
village in southeastern Turkey, after the presence of the H5N1 virus
was confirmed last week in the region, the agriculture ministry said.
Tests done on 3 dead chickens taken from the village of Akcayir in
the mainly Kurdish province of Diyarbakir "have come out positive.
Detailed laboratory analyses are underway," said a ministry statement.
A spokeswoman for the ministry said that it was not yet clear what
strain of bird flu had affected poultry in the region.
The village and 5 nearby hamlets were placed under quarantine, and
the culling of animals had already commenced, the statement said.
The H5N1 virus, which claimed 4 lives in Turkey a year ago,
resurfaced last week in the village of Bogazkoy in the neighboring
province of Batman. [For an administrative map of Turkey, see
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/turkey_admin_2006.jpg>].
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[A WHO world map showing the areas reporting confirmed occurrence of
H5N1 avian influenza in poultry and wild birds since 1 Jan 2007,
status as of 10 Feb 2007 (latest available update), is available at
<http://gamapserver.who.int/mapLibrary/Files/Maps/Global_SubNat_H5N1inAnimalConfirmed_2007_20070210.png>.
Extensive Chronology Of Main AI Events And List Of Decisions Adopted
By The European Commission In 2007 (Response to outbreaks in member
states and 3rd countries, situation as of 12 Feb 2007 14:00H), is
available at
<http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/avian/ai_chron_2007.pdf#page=9>.
- Mod.AS]

See Also