Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/01/news-scan-jan-08-2021
News Scan for Jan 08, 2021
CWD in 2 Mississippi counties; Polio in the Mideast, Africa; Avian flu in Europe
Filed Under:
Chronic Wasting Disease; Polio; Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
CWD reported farther east in Mississippi
Two cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal disease affecting cervids such as deer, elk, and moose, were found in Mississippi on Dec 29, 2020, says the state's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP). Both were hunter-harvested white-tailed deer, bringing the state up to 78 suspected or confirmed white-tailed deer cases since 2018 and expanding the disease range in the state.
One case was found in Tippah County, which was not wholly unexpected, says MDWFP deer program coordinator William McKinley in the Jackson Clarion Ledger. A positive CWD case had previously been reported within a few miles of the county in Tennessee.
The second case, in Alcorn County, was more of a surprise. "The Alcorn positive was 25 miles away from the nearest Mississippi positive," Mckinley said in the article. "So this is quite a stretch. It tells us there's more in between there and it's doubtful it's the farthest east."
Both counties are already a part of the North Mississippi CWD Management Zone, but because of the Alcorn case location, Tishomingo County would normally be added to the zone as well. Because of an in-process transition of management zone regulations, however, McKinley doesn't know if Tishomingo will face the same hunter regulations as past zones or if it will be added at all.
More than 8,000 deer samples were tested during both 2018 and 2019, but this year, only 3,600 samples have been submitted, writes the Clarion Ledger. The MDWFP continues to urge hunters to submit deer samples so disease spread can be better monitored.
Dec 31, 2020 MDWFP report
Jan 5 Clarion Ledger article
Four countries report more polio cases
Four countries reported more polio cases this week, Pakistan in the Middle East and three countries in Africa, according to the latest weekly update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
Pakistan reported 1 wild poliovirus type 1 case, which was in Balochistan province and is included in its total for 2020, which is now 84.
The three African countries reported more circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases, which reflect 2020 illness onsets and are included in 2020 totals.
Chad reported a case in Mandoul, which makes 94 cases from three different outbreaks. Ivory Coast reported 3 cases, 1 each in Gbeke, Belier, and Agneby-Tiassa, putting its total at 71. And the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 1 case, in Mainbombe, lifting its total to 75.
Jan 7 GPEI update
H5N8 avian flu strikes poultry in Lithuania
Lithuania is the latest country in Europe to report highly pathogenic H5N8 avian flu in poultry, according to a report from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
The outbreak began on Dec 31 in backyard poultry of multiple species in Kaunas, the country's second-largest city, located in the central Lithuania. The virus killed 22 of 27 birds, and the rest were culled to control the spread. The event marks the first appearance of the virus in the country's poultry since 2017.
Lithuania also reported three outbreaks wild birds, all involving mute swans found dead in the central and western parts of the country.
Other European countries also reported more avian flu outbreaks in wild birds, which involved H5N8 in the United Kingdom and Slovakia and H5N5 in Wales.
Jan 8 OIE report on H5N8 in Lithuanian poultry
Jan 8 OIE report on H5N8 in Lithuanian wild birds
OIE avian flu outbreak page
News Scan for Jan 08, 2021
CWD in 2 Mississippi counties; Polio in the Mideast, Africa; Avian flu in Europe
Filed Under:
Chronic Wasting Disease; Polio; Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
CWD reported farther east in Mississippi
Two cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal disease affecting cervids such as deer, elk, and moose, were found in Mississippi on Dec 29, 2020, says the state's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP). Both were hunter-harvested white-tailed deer, bringing the state up to 78 suspected or confirmed white-tailed deer cases since 2018 and expanding the disease range in the state.
One case was found in Tippah County, which was not wholly unexpected, says MDWFP deer program coordinator William McKinley in the Jackson Clarion Ledger. A positive CWD case had previously been reported within a few miles of the county in Tennessee.
The second case, in Alcorn County, was more of a surprise. "The Alcorn positive was 25 miles away from the nearest Mississippi positive," Mckinley said in the article. "So this is quite a stretch. It tells us there's more in between there and it's doubtful it's the farthest east."
Both counties are already a part of the North Mississippi CWD Management Zone, but because of the Alcorn case location, Tishomingo County would normally be added to the zone as well. Because of an in-process transition of management zone regulations, however, McKinley doesn't know if Tishomingo will face the same hunter regulations as past zones or if it will be added at all.
More than 8,000 deer samples were tested during both 2018 and 2019, but this year, only 3,600 samples have been submitted, writes the Clarion Ledger. The MDWFP continues to urge hunters to submit deer samples so disease spread can be better monitored.
Dec 31, 2020 MDWFP report
Jan 5 Clarion Ledger article
Four countries report more polio cases
Four countries reported more polio cases this week, Pakistan in the Middle East and three countries in Africa, according to the latest weekly update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
Pakistan reported 1 wild poliovirus type 1 case, which was in Balochistan province and is included in its total for 2020, which is now 84.
The three African countries reported more circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases, which reflect 2020 illness onsets and are included in 2020 totals.
Chad reported a case in Mandoul, which makes 94 cases from three different outbreaks. Ivory Coast reported 3 cases, 1 each in Gbeke, Belier, and Agneby-Tiassa, putting its total at 71. And the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 1 case, in Mainbombe, lifting its total to 75.
Jan 7 GPEI update
H5N8 avian flu strikes poultry in Lithuania
Lithuania is the latest country in Europe to report highly pathogenic H5N8 avian flu in poultry, according to a report from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
The outbreak began on Dec 31 in backyard poultry of multiple species in Kaunas, the country's second-largest city, located in the central Lithuania. The virus killed 22 of 27 birds, and the rest were culled to control the spread. The event marks the first appearance of the virus in the country's poultry since 2017.
Lithuania also reported three outbreaks wild birds, all involving mute swans found dead in the central and western parts of the country.
Other European countries also reported more avian flu outbreaks in wild birds, which involved H5N8 in the United Kingdom and Slovakia and H5N5 in Wales.
Jan 8 OIE report on H5N8 in Lithuanian poultry
Jan 8 OIE report on H5N8 in Lithuanian wild birds
OIE avian flu outbreak page