Published Date: 2009-01-16 15:00:42
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (05): Nepal, 1st outbreak
Archive Number: 20090116.0180
AVIAN INFLUENZA (05): NEPAL, FIRST OUTBREAK
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[1]
Date: Fri 16 Jan 2009
Source: KantipurOnline [edited]
<http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=175656>
Bird flu detected in Jhapa
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For the 1st time in Nepal, bird flu virus has been detected in Kakarbhitta
in the eastern district of Jhapa. After the detection of bird flu virus,
the government on Thursday [15 Jan 2008] decided to cull birds within the
range of 3 km [1.8 miles] from the site.
Declaring the 10 km [6.2 mile] region of Kakarbhitta 'an emergency area,'
the cabinet meeting took the decision to kill the birds today as 6 out of
every 7 chickens brought from Mechi Municipality-10, Kakarbhitta, were
found to have been infected with the avian flu.
The meeting has decided to be on a high alert at the areas ranging 10 km
from Kakarbhitta to prevent the bird flu from spreading, the minister for
information and communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara said. He added that
the government has also decided to direct the local administration to reuse
the equipment used in slitting the birds only after the sterilization process.
The meeting was held at the prime minister's office in Singhadurbar.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture is due to give more information on
the detection of bird flu in Kakarbhitta at a press conference at the ministry.
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Dan Silver
******
[2]
Date: Fri 16 Jan 2009
Source: Reuters [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DEL133818.htm>
Nepal reports 1st H5N1 bird flu outbreak
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Nepal said on Friday [16 Jan 2009] it had found the H5N1 bird flu in
poultry, the 1st time the deadly virus has surfaced in the Himalayan
nation, prompting culling operations in the country's south east. "The
virus has been found in chicken and ducks. We have confirmed it is H5N1
virus," agriculture minister Jai Prakash Prasad Gupta told Reuters.
Bird flu was reported in poultry from the crowded south east Nepal town of
Kakarvitta, bordering India, officials said. "We have declared that area
crisis-hit," said Krishna Bahadur Mahara, minister for communication and
information.
The epicentre of the outbreak is close to India's West Bengal state which
has been fighting to contain intermittent outbreaks of the virus in poultry
since last year [2008].
Hari Dahal, a Nepalese agriculture ministry spokesman, said no bird flu
symptoms had been noticed among people in the affected area. He said the
virus could have come from India.
Veterinary workers were sent to the region on Friday to cull 13 000 poultry
in 5 days to try to control the virus within a 3 km (1.8 miles) radius of
Kakarvitta town. "They have started killing all birds in the area," Gupta
said. "Since the outbreak in India, we were already alert."
Officials said they sent 7 dead birds for testing in a laboratory in London
after a dozen birds, all backyard poultry, died mysteriously in Kakarvitta
about a week back. "We got the confirmation today and are now seeking
international help to fight the outbreak," Gupta added.
Neighbouring India has culled millions of chicken and ducks to contain the
virus since its 1st outbreak in 2006, but has reported no human infections.
A senior Nepalese official said Nepal has asked India to help stop the
sneaking of poultry products into the Himalayan nation despite a ban
imposed after an outbreak of the virus in India's West Bengal.
According to the World Health Organization, H5N1 bird flu has infected more
than 390 people in 15 countries and killed at least 247 of them since the
virus resurfaced in Asia in 2003.
[byline: Gopal Sharma, Krittivas Mukherjee]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall
[An interactive map, showing all worldwide HPAI reported outbreaks in
avians since Jan 2008, is available on OIE's WAHID website, at
<http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?selected_start_day=1&selected_start_month=1&selected_start_year=2008&selected_end_day=31&selected_end_month=12&selected_end_year=2009&page=disease_outbreak_map&date_submit=OK>
(choose the terrestrial disease 'Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza'). By
zooming in to the clustered outbreaks in north east India, one can see the
close proximity of the recent outbreak in Darjeeling, West Bengal, to
Nepal's border. This can also be seen in the map included in India's last
follow-up report (13 Jan 2009), at
<http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=7675>.
- Mod.AS]
See Also
Avian influenza (04): India (WB) 20090108.0080Avian influenza (02): India (WB) 20090104.0034
Avian influenza (01): India (AS), Viet Nam 20090103.0023
2008
---
Avian influenza (132): India (AS) 20081231.4124
Avian influenza (120): India (WB) 20081217.3970
Avian influenza (118): China (HK), India (AS), OIE 20081215.3938
....................arn/ejp/sh
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