Published Date: 2007-03-04 14:00:02
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (46): Pakistan, Kuwait, Malaysia
Archive Number: 20070304.0762
AVIAN INFLUENZA (46): PAKISTAN, KUWAIT, MALAYSIA
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[1] Pakistan (North-West Frontier Province)
[2] Kuwait
[3] Malaysia: prevention & control policy
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[1] Pakistan (North-West Frontier Province)
Date: Sun 4 Mar 2007
From: Joe Dudley <jdudley@eaicorp.com>
Source: The News, Pakistan [edited]
<http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=45511>
Bird flu confirmed in NWFP [North-West Frontier Province]
-----------------------------------------------
The National Reference Laboratory for Poultry Diseases, Islamabad, has
confirmed the presence of avian influenza H5N1 virus in the birds found
dead in Peshawar, Naushera and Charsadda districts. [map at
<http://www.floppingaces.net/wp-content/pakistan.gif>].
Well-informed sources in the Veterinary Research Institute NWFP said the
Islamabad lab confirmed presence of the virus in a black partridge and dead
crows. The lab is also processing the serum samples from Desi [local,
South-Asian breeds] layers it received.
The NWFP government, the sources said, has yet to take precautionary
measures. They said the Directorate of Livestock and Dairy Development
Department had received the report on 28 Feb 2007 from Islamabad, but the
department has not yet checked the poultry farms and quarantined them. The
Islamabad lab had recommended culling of all birds in the premises and
disinfecting farms as per standard protocol, the sources said.
--
Joseph P Dudley, PhD
Chief Scientist
EAI Corporation
Rockville MD 20852
<jdudley@eaicorp.com>
******
[2] Kuwait
Date: Sat 3 Mar 2007
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: Reuters Alertnet [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L03539051.htm>
Kuwait finds 2 bird flu cases in chickens
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Kuwait said on Saturday [3 Feb 2007] it had found 2 new cases of the deadly
H5N1 strain of bird flu in chickens, raising to 48 the total number of
infected birds in the Gulf Arab country this year. "The new cases were
traced to the bird market in the al-Rai area," Health Ministry official
Ahmed al-Shatti told Reuters.
He said 121 handlers and their families had tested negative for the
disease, while thousands of birds have been culled in a campaign by the
government to prevent the disease's spread that had led to a ban on live
bird imports.
The bird market and Kuwait's zoo are shut while poultry shops in
residential areas are being closed for 3 months.
Kuwait confirmed 39 cases of bird flu last month [February 2007], but said
20 of them were found in falcons at the zoo and a farm in the south of the
country. The rest did not belong to poultry farms but were domestic birds
caged in private yards.
It last reported a case of bird flu in a flamingo in 2005.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
******
[3] Malaysia: prevention & control policy
Date: Sat 3 Mar 2007
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) [edited]
<http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=957434>
Malaysia not to use vaccine, still to cull birds
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Malaysia ruled out resorting to vaccine to contain the deadly H5N1 virus in
poultry and asserted it will keep on culling infected birds as the better
option, proven affective in controlling the disease.
In remarks to television channels, head of the Disease Control and
Veterinary Biologics Unit, Veterinary Services Department, Dr Kamarudin
Mohamed Isa said on the sidelines of the ASEAN [Association of Southeast
Asian Nations; international organization, Southeast Asia] Workshop on
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Control and Eradication that
countries such as Indonesia and Viet Nam were compelled to vaccinate ducks.
Indonesia and Viet Nam used vaccines because culling birds would cost more
to compensate farmers, he said.
Indonesia alone has more than 300 million chickens, and Viet Nam has more
than 70 million ducks, and using the vaccine is considered a successful
economic alternative to minimize the costs and compensation, which would
total more than one billion Ringgit (RM) [USD 285.2 million], he added.
Malaysia however, is still culling poultry and compensating farmers due to
the small number of infected birds, Dr Kamarudin pointed out. Malaysia is
also constantly observing the situation and is carrying out awareness
campaigns aimed at villagers regarding the disease, and this has proved
effective in curbing its spread, he said.
He also stressed the importance of cooperation among the ASEAN member
states to help neighbors in quelling the disease and minimizing risk of its
spread to other countries.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[On 19 Jun 2006, Malaysia sent the OIE its final report on the H5N1
outbreak, which had been detected in February 2006. It concluded: "Malaysia
declares that it has regained its highly pathogenic avian influenza free
country status." See archive 20060626.1774 and
<http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=4666>.
- Mod.AS]
See Also
Avian influenza (42): Kuwait, Pakistan 20070225.0687Avian influenza (39): Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan 20070221.0646
Avian influenza (31): Pakistan, S. Korea, Turkey, ... 20070211.0523
2006
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Avian influenza (144) - France, Malaysia: OIE free status 20060626.1774
2005
---
Avian influenza - Eurasia (71): wild birds, Viet Nam, UK, Kuwait
20051120.3375
.................arn/msp/sh
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