H5N1 Not Ruled Out In New Zealand

[FluBossie]

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200611241242/200_dead_birds_found_in_havelock_north_area

200 dead birds found in Havelock North area

Posted at 12:42pm on 24 Nov 2006

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council says a mass death of birds in the Havelock North area is not likely to be linked to bird flu.

Around 200 birds have been reported dead in the area this week.

The birds are mostly small species like sparrows and starlings, but there have also been ducks, magpies and a bellbird reported.

The council's group manager of asset management, Mike Adye, says a range of tests are being carried out to try to find the cause of the deaths; but it may be some time before the cause - or its location - can be found.

Mr Adye says there have been reports of pets dying after eating dead birds, and he advises people to dispose of any dead birds in the rubbish or to bury them deeply.

Copyright ? 2006 Radio New Zealand

 

[HenryN]

H5N1 Not Ruled Out In New Zealand

200 dead birds found in Havelock North area

Posted at 9:13am on 25 Nov 2006
Hawke's Bay Regional Council says a mass death of birds in the Havelock North area is not likely to be linked to bird flu.
However, an avian influenza specialist says bird flu should not be ruled out as a cause. About 200 birds have been reported dead in the area this week.
The council says the birds range from sparrows to ducks, and at least four cats and a dog have also died.
Professor of Animal Health at Massey University, Roger Morris, says the fact that cats and ducks are among the deaths raises the level of concern.
The council's group manager of asset management, Mike Adye, says a range of tests are being carried out to find the cause of the deaths, but it may be some time before the cause - or where it happened - can be found.
Mr Adye says there have been reports of pets dying after eating dead birds, and he advises people to dispose of any dead birds in the rubbish or to bury them deeply.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200611250913/200_dead_birds_found_in_havelock_north_area

 

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 Not Ruled Out In New Zealand

TOP STORY: 'Big guns' probe animal poisonings


24.11.2006
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>LAWRENCE GULLERY
Biosecurity NZ has been called in to find the cause of the death of at least 200 birds at Havelock North's Anderson Park this week.
Neighbours to the park on Panckhurst Street have reported at least one dog had died and several cats have returned home ill or are missing.
Today, Hastings District Council staff were at the park with sacks, picking up more dead birds and wild animal carcases near the Panckhurst Street flats and next to Karamu Stream.
Reports from the public indicate the area affected may be larger than first thought.
Some neighbours to the park said today dead birds were also found near Guthrie Park, about 2km away from Anderson Park.

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</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Hawke's Bay Regional Council, which is co-ordinating the response to the dead birds, confirmed reports have been received of birds dying or close to death in other parts of Havelock North, including the Te Mata Peak area.
Initially Hastings council picked up 30 small birds from Anderson Park on Monday, 13 on Tuesday, three on Wednesday including a magpie, and one on Thursday. Residents have collected many others.
The regional council is working closely with the district council and Hawke's Bay's public health unit to discover what has caused the deaths but have so far have no answers.
It was not known whether the deaths were related to a disease or accidental poisoning through contamination or an agrichemical.
Testing from the Karamu Stream did not, however, detect any poison from algal blooms in the water.
Park neighbours who had taken their sick pets to the vet were left to come up with their own conclusions this week. Steven Morrison, whose dog died earlier this week, said a vet told him it looked like cyanide.
Another neighbour was told her cat was ill because of chemical spray used to keep birds away in orchards and vineyards.
Regional council group manager Mike Adye said birds found at the park were still being tested today, but the tests may not be conclusive.
"Clearly, we are concerned about the number of birds that have died but we have been unable to identify the reason," Mr Adye said.
"We hope that the tests will give us at least some leads. If we are able to find a cause, it may help us to take steps to minimise the risk if it occurs again."
The district council has put up signs at Anderson Park entrances to alert the public about the potential safety issues for recreation.
The health board advises people to avoid touching dead animals. "We have sympathy for pet owners who have lost their pets.
"We have received reports of four cats dying and at least one dog, and understand other cats are missing," Mr Adye said. Hawke's Bay Regional Council is recommending that pet owners consider how best to keep their pets safe. He said mass deaths of birds are not uncommon but it was unusual to have such a variety of birds affected.

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http://www.hbtoday.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3711133&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

 

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 Not Ruled Out In New Zealand

Cyanide Poisoning Symptoms


Cyanide poisoning can be difficult to detect, but certain clues can be useful. The effects of cyanide ingestion are very similar to the effects of suffocation. This is because cyanide stops the cells of the body from being able to use oxygen, which all cells need to survive. So the same symptoms that you can get from climbing too high a mountain where the air is too thin also occur with cyanide.

• General weakness, confusion, bizarre behavior, excessive sleepiness, coma, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, and seizures all can be seen with cyanide poisoning.
• Typically, an acute ingestion will have a dramatic, rapid onset immediately affecting the heart and causing sudden collapse. Or it can immediately affect the brain and cause a seizure or coma.
• Chronic poisoning (over time) from ingestion or environmental poisoning will have a more gradual onset.

• The skin of a cyanide-poisoned person can sometimes be unusually pink or cherry-red because oxygen will stay in the blood and not get into the cells. The person may also be breathing very fast and have either a very fast or very slow heartbeat. Sometimes the person?s breath can smell like bitter almonds, though this can be difficult to detect.

• Perhaps most important is the setting, rather than the signs or symptoms.

• • If someone in your family works in a laboratory or plastics factory, then he or she is at higher risk.
  • All fires should of course be taken seriously, and there is always the additional concern of cyanide exposure.
  • Most important, if you know someone has been depressed or has substance abuse problems and you find him or her with any of the signs or symptoms, then a suicide attempt is possible.
• http://www.emedicinehealth.com/cyanide_poisoning/page3_em.htm