ProMED-mail |

Published Date: 2008-01-29 17:00:13
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (24): Saudi Arabia, China (Tibet), Bangladesh
Archive Number: 20080129.0373

AVIAN INFLUENZA (24): SAUDI ARABIA, CHINA (TIBET), BANGLADESH
*************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
In this update:
[1] Saudi Arabia: (Riyadh)
[2] China: (Tibet)
[3] Bangladesh: crows and ducks
******
[1] Saudi Arabia: (Riyadh)
Date: Tue 29 Jan 2008
Source: Yahoo News, Agence France-Presse (AFP) report [edited]
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080129/wl_mideast_afp/healthflusaudi_080129162934;_ylt=A0WTUeyOdJ9H9n0BPwOTvyIi>

The Saudi agriculture ministry ordered a cull of 158 000 chickens on
Tuesday [29 Jan 2008] following the confirmation of a new outbreak of the
H5N1 strain of bird flu that is dangerous to humans.
The outbreak was detected on a poultry farm in the Al-Kharj region [Riyadh
Province], 80 km (50 mi) south of Riyadh, said a ministry statement carried
by the official SPA [Saudi Press Agency] news agency.
Since the latest outbreak of bird flu was discovered on 15 Nov 2007, some 4
million birds have been culled on at least 15 separate infected farms.
Saudi Arabia also reported an outbreak of avian influenza last March
[2007]. There have been no reports of the disease spreading to humans in
the oil-rich kingdom.
--
communicated by:
Nati Elkin <nati@poultrymed.com>
[The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Saudi Arabia can be accessed
at <http://healthmap.org/promed?v=24.1,44.5,5>. - CopyEd.MJ]
******
[2] China: (Tibet)
Date: Tue 29 Jan 2008
Source: ChinaView, Xinhua News Agency report [edited]
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/29/content_7521194.htm>

China confirms new bird flu case in Tibet
-----------------------------------------
The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced on Tuesday [29 Jan 2008] that
it had confirmed a new bird flu case among poultry in south western Tibet
Autonomous Region.
The National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory confirmed on Tuesday [29 Jan
2008] that the case that had affected Jiedexiu Town, Gongga County, on 25
Jan 2008 was caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 subtype avian influenza
virus, the MOA said. [Could Jiedexiu be a different spelling of Jedexoi?
see location at <http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/14/Jedexoi.html>. -
Mod.AS]
The outbreak killed 1000 birds and led to the culling of another 13 080. No
human infections were reported.
Bird flu control and prevention efforts were going smoothly, the MOA
stated. It said that it had sent experts to coordinate these efforts as the
local government blocked off the infected region and stepped up quarantine
and oversight to contain the outbreak.
The outbreak came less than a month after another case in Turpan, in north
western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, killed 4850 birds and resulted in
the culling of another 29 383.
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
******
[3] Bangladesh: crows and ducks
Date: Mon 28 Jan 2008
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, IRIN (UN
Integrated Regional Information Networks) News [edited]
<http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76451>

Bangladesh: experts dub deaths amongst crows, ducks "alarming"
--------------------------------------------------------------
Bird flu or avian influenza is spreading across Bangladesh. In the last 4
days, over 1000 crows have dropped dead in Barisal, Patuakhali, and
Dinajpur districts, with laboratory tests confirming they were infected
with the H5N1 virus.
Initial reports suggest the crows had eaten bird flu-affected dead chickens
thrown away by farmers. Despite government efforts to burn or buy the dead
birds, in many places the carcasses of dead chickens and crows can be seen
rotting in the open.
Habibur Rahman of Mymensing Agricultural University, a leading bird flu
expert, and ASM Alamgir, a virologist at the Institute of Epidemiology,
Disease Control and Research, now describe the situation as "alarming."
"Not only crows, about 1000 ducks died of bird flu in Naogaon District
yesterday [27 Jan 2008]. Ducks usually carry the H5N1 virus, but do not
die. When ducks die, it indicates that the virus is very highly pathogenic.
Even the possibility of mutation of the virus can't be ruled out," they
told IRIN.
On 27 Jan 2008, bird flu was reported at a poultry farm in Peelkhana in
Dhaka, nearly a quarter of whose 12 million people live in overcrowded
shanties with minimum health and hygiene facilities.
Special assistant to the country's chief adviser Manik Lal Samaddar has
declined to describe the situation as "alarming," but he conceded at a
press conference that the government was unable to address it alone: He
called on poultry farmers to help tackle the problem.
Every vehicle at 11 border crossings with neighbouring India, which is now
battling its own outbreak of the virus, is to be sprayed with anti-viral
disinfectant. Spraying is also taking place at other key points. Security
forces were closely checking for any illegal poultry and egg imports from
India. A 16-member government health team was also working at district
level to detect and observe the disease, Samaddar said. "They are
collecting specimens as well as examining and culling infected birds or
livestock. The Health Ministry is assisting the Fisheries and Livestock
Ministry in the job," he explained. In addition, 150 volunteers had been
appointed under the Directorate of Livestock to prevent the spread of the
disease, while's the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) was
supporting the government in its effort to bring the disease under control.
Moreover, a bird flu ward had been set up in the National Institute of
Diseases of the Chest and Hospital in Dhaka, while a laboratory had been
established to diagnose infected persons. "The government is well prepared
to face any situation," Alamgir said. "Rapid Response Teams (RRT), with 11
trained members in each team, have been put in place in all 64 districts.
Personal protective equipment has been provided to 5 trained RRT members in
each of 471 sub-districts. Enough antiviral drugs have been stored at
district hospitals for the use of those who cull sick birds," he said.
More than 225 000 volunteers had been trained at more than 4400 unions
(elected local government unit at community level) across Bangladesh.
"Volunteers are visiting rural households and educating people to report
dead or sick birds, safe disposal of solid poultry waste, safe disposal of
dead birds, proper hand washing, and other safe health practices," Alamgir
explained.
Since March 2007 when the 1st bird flu case was reported, more than 360 000
chickens have been culled at 93 poultry farms in 48 sub-districts of 29
districts and 6 metropolitan cities across the country. According to FAO,
21 out of 64 districts have now been infected with H5NI and the situation
seems to be worsening.
Just last week [21-27 Jan 2008], FAO warned that the disease appeared to be
endemic in the country, and that surveillance and control campaigns had so
far failed to interrupt the virus's transmission between provinces.
Since August 2007, the government of Bangladesh has been implementing a
project -- with financial assistance of USD 22.3 million from the World
Bank -- for training livestock officials on bird flu surveillance.
The poultry industry employs over 5 million people in Bangladesh; with
commercial farms producing 220 million chickens and 37 million ducks
annually. However, this is just 30 per cent of the total national poultry
production, with the rest produced in backyard farms.
People should be made aware of waste management, particularly poultry
waste, which needs to be buried in deep soil instead of being thrown into
open dustbins, Habibur Rahman said.
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall
[Though the description "over 1000 crows have dropped dead" initially
sounded to this moderator over-dramatic, crows are known to have been
included among the H5N1-susceptible avian species, from the very start of
the panzootic. Just some early examples reported by ProMED-mail: Thailand
(20040211.0461), Japan (20040309.0662), Cambodia (20040618.1631), Pakistan
(20070322.1008). and Russia (20051103.3211).
Laboratory confirmation of the infections in ducks would be helpful;
preferably, such isolates should be forwarded to an OIE (Office
International des Epizooties; World Organisation for Animal Health)
reference laboratory for further studies, including genotyping. - Mod.AS
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Bangladesh can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/promed?v=23.8,90.3,5>. - CopyEd.MJ]

See Also