Bird flu outbreak occurs in Laos

[Shiloh]

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/04/content_10305822.htm
Bird flu outbreak occurs in Laos
www.chinaview.cn 2008-11-04 17:11:08

HANOI, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in Donngeun village, Xayaboury district of Xayaboury province of Laos, Lao newspaper Vientiane Times reported on Tuesday, citing Xayaboury district governor Phompan Souththivohaneas saying.

The Xayaboury Provincial Avian Influenza Control Committee has declared a red zone which covers areas within one kilometer radius of the outbreak. This area includes the seven villages, said Phompan on Monday.

All birds in these villages will be slaughtered to prevent the virus from spreading and the movement, consumption and sale of birds throughout the district has been banned until further notice. This ban also includes products made with the blood of poultry.

A yellow zone will be established to include villages that are outside the red zone, but within five kilometers of the outbreak.

Villagers in the yellow zone will be advised to destroy birds at the first sign of illness, without waiting to have them tested for the virus.

Phompan said the district public health office was cooperating with the provincial public health department to monitor people's health, particularly those living in the red zone.

Checkpoints have also been established throughout the district to prevent the movement of poultry. These checkpoints will remain in place until 45 days after the last case of the virus is identified.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Bird flu outbreak occurs in Laos

Snip from ProMed mail:


Date: Tue 4 Nov 2008

From: Martin Gilbert mgilbert@wcs.org


The National Animal Health Centre (NAHC) in Vientiane received a report on
28 Oct 2008 from the District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO) in
Sayabouli District, Sayabouli Province, regarding mortality in a small
backyard chicken farm. The mortality had started on 27 Oct 2008 with one
chicken dying and continued on 28 Oct 2008 with another 8 dead chickens.

On 28 Oct 2008, one of the carcasses was sent by bus to the NAHC laboratory
and arrived on 29 Oct 2008.

On 29 Oct 2008, the carcass was tested positive for avian influenza A on
rapid antigen detection on pooled cloacal, tracheal, kidney, and spleen
swabs. The H5 rapid test was negative. Embryonated eggs were inoculated
from the samples collected and RT-PCR [reverse transcriptase polymerase
chain reaction] was conducted with positive results to H5N1.

National animal health staff from central level supported by FAO [UN Food
and Agriculture Organisation] is already in place and an additional team
with additional materials will proceed tomorrow morning [30 Oct 2008] to
Sayabouli District for further investigation and outbreak response monitoring.

From the human health side, WHO (World Health Organisation) informs that
1. provincial health staff have alerted the provincial hospital and ensured
sufficient PPE [personal protective equipment] supplies, tamiflu supplies,
and isolation rooms are ready for suspected cases;
2. district and provincial level health staff will investigate in the
morning, yet claim no reports of suspected cases thus far;
3. national staff to travel Saturday morning [1 Nov 2008] to facilitate
trainings and appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The meeting on human health side was carried out this morning [29 Oct 2008]
at the NCLE [National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology].

The provincial authorities in Sayabouli have been informed and the
declaration of the Governor is expected to be announced today [29 Oct 2008].

--
Martin Gilbert MRCVS, BVMS
Wildlife Veterinarian
Associate Director - Asia
Global Health Program
Wildlife Conservation Society
mgilbert@wcs.org

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,74652

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Bird flu outbreak occurs in Laos

Source: http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=7251

Bird flu spread in Sayaboury under control

LAOS, Nov 14 (KPL) - The task force unit of veterinarians is on mission of disinfect and cull poultries infected with bird flu H5N1 strain is being spread in Sayaboury province early this month.

More than 3,000 poultries consists of 2,000 chickens and 1,000 ducks have been culled in pace with disinfection in seven villages that classified as red zone in which Ban Donngeun and Ban Mai have already been disinfected.

Officials established a 5-kilometer yellow zone around the outbreak location which covered 13 villages.

The mission of vet staff is conducting seriously to prevent the spread of bird flu and data collection of general conditions is ongoing.

The last H5N1 outbreak in Laos occurred in September, when the virus hit ducks in two northwestern provinces of Oudomsay and Luang Prabang, according to a 17 Sep report from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Authorities said they thought that the first outbreak was related to ducklings obtained from the site of a previous outbreak and that the second was related to illegal bird transport in another province. Animal health officials culled 5,225 birds to control the outbreaks.(KPL)