Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23 - February 16th

[HenryN]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Bird flu spreads in Pakistan; new outbreak in birds
04 Feb 2008 10:54:14 GMT
<!-- 04 Feb 2008 10:54:14 GMT ## for search indexer, do not remove -->Source: Reuters

<!-- AN5.0 article title end --><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="/bin/js/article.js"></SCRIPT></SPAN><INPUT id=CurrentSize type=hidden value=13 name=CurrentSize> <!-- Bird flu spreads in Pakistan; new outbreak in birds --><!-- Reuters -->ISLAMABAD, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Pakistani authorities confirmed on Monday a fresh outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu at a poultry farm on the outskirts of Karachi, the second case in four days in the country's biggest city, a government official said.
Authorities have found several outbreaks of the virus in poultry and birds in North West Frontier Province and the capital, Islamabad, since it was first detected in the country in early 2006.
The first human case, which resulted in a death, was confirmed in December.
The new outbreak was found on a farm only 300 metres (yards) from where an outbreak was detected last week.
"Samples taken from it were tested and found positive for H5N1," said Food and Agriculture Ministry official Rafiq-ul-Hassan Usmani.
"Some 500 to 600 birds died of the virus and the remaining 5,500 chickens at the farm are being culled now."
Tests were also being done on samples taken from poultry farms in Punjab province but no outbreak had been confirmed, a government spokesman said.
In December, the World Health Organisation said it had established a single case of human infection of bird flu in a sick family in North West Frontier Province, but there was no apparent risk of its spreading further. The man died. (Reporting by Augustine Anthony; Editing by Robert Birsel)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL320176.htm
<!-- news ## for search indexer, do not remove -->

 

[HenryN]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=478 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>PAKISTAN: Authorities begin taking action on bird-flu

LAHORE, 4 February 2008 (IRIN) - The avian flu epidemic that has swept across parts of neighbouring India has led Pakistan's Health Ministry to begin putting in place a number of preventative measures.

In a letter sent out to provincial health officials, hospital heads and other health workers, the ministry warned that hospitals should remain on "high alert" and make "emergency arrangements" to tackle any outbreak of avian flu.

On 1 February the authorities confirmed the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus at two poultry farms in Karachi, but with no human infection so far.

Pakistan shares a long border with India, where at least 50,000 birds have been culled in the past few days in a bid to curb the disease’s spread.

Pakistan, with the cooperation of the World Health Organization (WHO), has started training health workers in dealing with suspected cases of avian flu.
<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #bbbbbb 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; BORDER-TOP: #cccccc 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; MARGIN: 2px 8px 8px; BORDER-LEFT: #cccccc 1px solid; WIDTH: 224px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #bbbbbb 1px solid; HEIGHT: 89px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12px; COLOR: #006699; BORDER-BOTTOM: #cccccc 1px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; TEXT-ALIGN: center">More on bird flu in Pakistan</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; FONT: 10px tahoma; COLOR: #006699; PADDING-TOP: 8px">

Government plays down bird flu risk </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; FONT: 10px tahoma; COLOR: #006699; PADDING-TOP: 8px">

Deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu confirmed</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; FONT: 10px tahoma; COLOR: #006699; PADDING-TOP: 8px">

Raising awareness of bird flu</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Two infectious diseases isolation wards are now being set up, with WHO assistance, at medical facilities in Peshawar and Abbotabad in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

"We are providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and funds will be mobilised,” Fawad Khan, WHO’s avian human influenza coordinator, told IRIN on 4 February in Islamabad.

The ministry has advised those dealing directly with poultry or other birds to follow international standards, including the use of goggles, gloves and masks to help avoid contracting the virus.

However, given current levels of awareness amongst such workers, it is unlikely such measures will be adopted: "My two brothers and I work at a poultry farm in the Raiwind area, on the outskirts of Lahore. We have heard about bird flu, but we have never used gloves or other equipment and we don't possess such gear," Muhammad Irfan, 18, told IRIN.

Poultry sector

Pakistan’s poultry farming sector is a huge industry, with at least 12,000 farms of varying sizes dotted across the country, according to figures from the governments Livestock Department.
<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #336699 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; BORDER-TOP: #336699 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; MARGIN: 2px 8px 8px; BORDER-LEFT: #336699 1px solid; WIDTH: 165px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #336699 1px solid; HEIGHT: 153px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #aabbdc" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD style="COLOR: #ffffff; FONT-FAMILY: tahoma; size: 12px" align=left bgColor=#aabbdc>

I am not educated and what I know about this sickness I have heard only from friends. God will save us from any risk.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Most farms are located in the NWFP. The business employs thousands of people, but awareness about bird flu and how to prevent it remains limited.

"I am not educated and what I know about this sickness I have heard only from friends," said Irfan, adding: "God will save us from any risk."

Human case

Pakistan faced a bird-flu panic a few months ago, when it was feared a mutation of the virus may have caused a case of human-to-human transmission, much feared by international health experts.

In late November 2007, Muhammad Ilyas, a poultry farm worker, was admitted to the Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar with symptoms of bird flu. He died within hours, and tested positive for the H5N1 virus that causes the disease.

The discovery that Ilyas's brother, Muhammad Idrees, had died some days earlier and the admission of other relatives to the hospital raised fears that the virus had been transmitted from one human to the other.

A WHO team which visited Pakistan from Geneva, and carried out genetic sequence testing said in January there was no confirmation of human-to-human transmission.

Since then, the Pakistani authorities have been accused in the media of dragging their feet and not doing enough to prevent a wider outbreak. But reports from India, coupled with recent events in Karachi, appear to be spurring them into action, with hospitals issuing directives regarding the treatment of patients showing symptoms of avian flu.

Experts question preventative measures

Yet despite those efforts, some experts say that not enough is being done.

A workshop on bird flu in Asia organised last month in Lahore by the Pakistan Medical Society (PMS) called for poultry farms and poultry selling areas to be moved away from densely populated localities to avoid transmission of the virus to humans.

According to Masood Akhtar, the PMS chairperson, the "non-professional manner" in which the poultry business was conducted in many Asian countries raised the "risks posed by bird flu to humans". He called for the comprehensive vaccination of birds, to make them less susceptible to the virus, as well as methods to ensure the safe disposal of poultry waste.

The number of cases of bird flu reported in recent months is still low - with six to eight persons reportedly affected - but the potential for a wider epidemic remains very real. However, as yet there has been no widespread awareness-raising campaign.

kh/ds/ar

</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>
Theme(s): (IRIN) Aid Policy, (IRIN) Avian Flu, (IRIN) Early Warning, (IRIN) Health & Nutrition

[ENDS]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76557

 

[HenryN]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>2,000 chickens die in Swat, 5,000 in Hujra
</TD></TR><TR><TD>Fresh bird flu outbreak confirmed in Karachi | Menace enters City | WHO team inspects farms
</TD></TR><TR><TD>The Post Report/Agencies
</TD></TR><TR><TD>LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Authorities confirmed on Monday a fresh outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu at a poultry farm on the outskirts of Karachi, the second case in four days in the city, a government official said.

Authorities have found several outbreaks of the virus in poultry and birds in North West Frontier Province and the capital, Islamabad, since it was first detected in the country in early 2006. The first human case, which resulted in a death, was confirmed in December.

The sale of chicken was dwindling, as more than 300 chickens died of bird flu in Lahore, reported Channel Five.

The country was on high alert after bird flu cases were reported in the country. The health authorities created special Isolation Wards and vaccines were being provided to the hospitals to meet any eventualities. It is pertinent to add that chickens are brought from the suburbs of the city to the market. The price of chicken also dropped in the city. Before the outbreak of the bird flu, the chicken was being sold at Rs 110 per kg, but the meat sellers reported a decline of Rs 30 in the prices after the cases were confirmed in Karachi.

The new outbreak was found on a farm only 300 metres from where an outbreak was detected last week.

"Samples taken from it were tested and found positive for H5N1," said Food and Agriculture Ministry official Rafiq-ul-Hassan Usmani. "Some 500 to 600 birds died of the virus and the remaining 5,500 chickens at the farm are being culled now."

Tests were also being done on samples taken from poultry farms in Punjab province but no outbreak had been confirmed, a government spokesman said.

Elsewhere, more than two thousand chickens brought from Hyderabad died in Mangora, Swat. The Tehsil Municipal Authority Mangora, on the public complaint, while taking quick action took into custody the owner of chickens Sher Ali and sent specimen of the dead chickens to laboratory to check for bird flu.

Due to the death of such a large number of chickens the spread of bird flu is feared in the area and the residents have stopped buying chicken.

The official sources have confirmed the death of 2000 chickens while according to independent sources more than two thousand chickens have died. The authorities have taken the alive and dead chickens into custody and have sent the samples of the chicken to Islamabad for further testing.

In Punjab five thousand chickens perished due to bird flu virus in village Moor Charwan in Hujra Shah Moqeem at the poultry form of Pir Aftab Shah.

Panic has spread among the owners of the local poultry farms because it is the first incident of bird flu in the area as the local residents avoid purchasing of chicken and eggs due to fear of bird flu while the business of chicken is declining in the market.

On the other hand, precautionary measures have not been initiated by the district administration and in general hospitals and rural health centres. However, no case of bird flu has been reported at any place in entire district Okara.

The residents of the area have expressed grave concern over bird flu virus in the area and demanded of the authorities to initiate precautionary measures in this regard.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has demanded of the government to provide subsidy for the import of vaccine for the prevention of bird flu. They have also demanded that the law, regarding the right distance (two kilometers) between the two poultry farms, must be implemented soon.

Addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club, PPA chairperson Dr Abdul Basit and former chairperson Raza Mehmood Khursheed said that after creating the crisis of electricity, some elements were now trying to deprive the public of cheap meat by spreading baseless propaganda regarding bird flu.

PPA leaders said that 1.5 million people were associated with this industry while agricultural products, worth Rs 50 billion, were used in the poultry feeds. They also said the virus of bird flu die at 60 degree Celsius but Pakistani food was usually cooked at 100 to 120 degree Celsius.

http://thepost.com.pk/Fb_ShortNews....=14&fstatus=Current&bcatid=14&bstatus=Current
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=topicmain bgColor=#ffffff height=75>

2000 chickens die in Swat​

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE height=18 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="86%" align=center bgColor=#000000 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=18><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=10 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2>SWAT: More than two thousand chickens out of 4000 imported from Hyderabad die in Mangora, Swat. The Tehsil Municipal Authority Mangora, on the public complaint, while taking quick action took into custody the owner of chickens Sher Ali and sent specimen of dead chicken to laboratory to check for bird flu. Due to death of such large number of chickens the spread of bird flu in the area is feared and the residents have stopped buying chicken.?Agencies

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
:tiphat: http://www.regionaltimes.com/05feb2008/heartland/2000.php

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>

Plan to check bird flu reviewed​

</TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>Staff Reporter
</TD></TR><TR><TD>PESHAWAR: The NWFP Minister for Agriculture, Livestock & Cooperatives Engineer Hisamuddin Bangash Monday presided over a high-level meeting to review arrangements to check the outbreak of bird flu.

The meeting was attended by the officials of Livestock & Dairy Development, Agriculture Department and local government. The minister was briefed on the measures taken by the authorities concerned to avoid the outbreak of bird flu in the province. Bamgash was told that the field staff of livestock department had completed vaccination at poultry farms where the disease could spread, while samples were regularly collected from the suspected farms to detect any virus. The quick response teams had also been set up to effectively counter the spread of bird flu, the minister was informed.

It was told the department had started enlisting the commercial poultry farms aimed at assessing their bio-security and bio-safety measures. However, the majority of farms were not registered and did not follow the safety measures. The minister expressed his satisfaction over the measures taken by the department. He asked all the district livestock officials to send reports on the bird flu situation in the province.

Bangash also asked the director livestock to ensure availability of bird flu vaccines and personal protection equipment for the staffers. The Environment Department should tell the poultry farms' owners to ensure bio-security measures so that the disease could be avoided, he added.:tiphat:
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.thepost.com.pk/NatNews.aspx?dtlid=142973&catid=2

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>

Bird flu rumour affects poultry consumption in Badin​

</TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>Our Correspondent
</TD></TR><TR><TD>BADIN: After the confirmation of bird flu virus in several areas, consumption of chicken meat is remarkably reduced as the people are feared of the viral infection.

Local poultry farm owners are suffering losses due to low consumption of chicken. The people, who had made advance bookings of poultry meat for marriage ceremonies, have cancelled their orders. Though no bird flu case has been reported in Badin district but the rumours around have scared the people to avoid the purchase of chicken.

The district officials have also assured the people of the safety of the poultry products and contradicted the news of the bird flu prevalence in the district.

On the directives of Badin DCO Ahmed Bux Khokhar, Health EDO Dr Maula Bux Bukhari and Agriculture EDO Abdul Sattar Bhutto inspected 85 poultry farms where no sign of bird flu virus was found.

The EDO stated that the samples taken from some suspected fowls had been sent to Islamabad for the test. A Crisis Management Cell has been formed in the district to cope with possible occurrence of bird flu. It is to be mentioned here that more than 10,000 workers are linked to the poultry sector in the district and their jobs are at stake due to bird flu virus panic.:tiphat:
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.thepost.com.pk/NatNews.aspx?dtlid=142883&catid=2

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>

Lack of laws cause of bird flu​

</TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>Nazia Hameed
</TD></TR><TR><TD>ISLAMABAD: Absence of proper legislation and uncertainty about the compensation to the victims of the poultry disaster are big hurdles in tackling the threats of H5N1 in Pakistan.

The poultry farmers avoid reporting the presence of H5NI virus in their birds to the authorities because they are not sure of getting the compensation from the government.

There are only 26 laws operational regarding the poultry industry. Presently, there is only one reference laboratory at the federal level for the confirmation of the virus which is catering to the needs of the four provinces.

Terlai and Sihila farmers are waiting for the compensation since April, 2006. A farmer without mentioning his name said that he was waiting for compensation by the authorities for the last two years. He further said that farmers avoid to report about the H5N1 in their farms due to uncertainness of compensation. According to a source the authorities should play a positive role and government should promptly provide the 75% compensation. He said without proper legislation and surety of compensation it would be difficult to redress the situation. People involved in compensation policy must have no links with the poultry business and favouritism must be avoided in compensation process. Otherwise the poultry business would suffer a lot, the source added.

Dr Alamdar Hussain Malik, secretary/registrar Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council said that poultries must get registered with their respective district livestock office/local authority so that the government can categorise the policy.

The local governments cannot impose any restrictions if there is no legislative support. Unfortunately provincial livestock department after a period of 62 year could promulgate single poultry law.

Dr Alamdar said this was now the final wakeup call for the authorities and if they still do not respond, the country may face the biggest disaster. "The question is why since 1947 the authorities failed to promulgate any legislation regarding poultry. :tiphat:
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=142977&catid=17

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Poultry farms to be registered to monitor bird flu outbreak
By Mona Khan

ISLAMABAD?The government has formulated a plan to register all poultry farms for ensuring proper monitoring system in order to check any outbreak of bird flu in the country. According to official sources here Sunday, the decision was taken in the wake of high transmission season and the global threat posed by H5N1 Influenza virus.
They said the provincial and district Governments have been asked to adopt recommended measures for preventing and averting any outbreak of avian influenza.
The provincial and regional health departments have also been asked to strengthen surveillance system and designate District Surveillance Officers.
They said besides other steps personnel protective equipment have been dispatched to the provincial health departments, Islamabad Capital Territory, FANA and FATA from National Influenza Project. Similarly tool kits for early detection and control of human cases of avian influenza have been developed and distributed to the provinces.
They said the Ministry of Health has already adopted special preventive measures on the poultry outbreak of influenza in the country.
According to health experts the virus may expand from one farm to another and to population by mechanical means like contaminated equipment, vehicles, feed, bird-cages etc.. They said Avian Influenza which is a contagious poultry disease caused by type A strains of the influenza virus, may result in rapid systemic illness and death to susceptible birds.
The infection may lead to development of disease in human beings with symptoms ranging from typical influenza like fever, cough, sore throat.:tiphat: http://dailymailnews.com/200802/04/news/dmcitypage01.html

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Bird flu 'chickens out' consumers

Afzal Bajwa
ISLAMABAD - Pre-empting bird flu consumers in twin cities have started avoiding both chicken and egg meals following cases reported in Karachi and last week unlawful dumping of hundreds of dead chicken under a bridge in outskirts of the federal capital last week.
So far according to the reports received from the southern parts of the country, prices of both the chicken and its egg have gone down. However, consumers in the twin cities appeared to be most resistant as compared to the rest of the country as the poultry tariff has not eased down here.
Authorities concerned, at the same time, were least pushed to preempt the disease that has not only been threatening the consumers but also the poultry industry rendering number of daily wagers? jobs at stake.
The way officials responsible for animal husbandry moved with a lackluster last week appeared a haywire going in the ministries concerned. On the other hand they have moved swiftly in cosmetic measures by displaying banners for raising so-called awareness about the bird flu.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is inclined to leave the issue of hygiene in the chicken meal to the health authorities than rather keep themselves up to the scientific aspects of the matter. Last but not the least, the local authorities namely the Capital Development Authority considers it sufficient to display banners rather than checking weather those involved in the chicken trade were following the standard operating procedures in this regard.
Thus, in the wake of growing apathy on part of the authorities and lack of direly required co-ordination within the responsible outfits have left the entire responsibility onto the consumers alone.
Whereas the consumers themselves have abruptly fallen prey to the monstrous consumerism intruding ruthlessly from the west that they have become indifferent to their own health.
It has been observed in routine chicken sales, in the days of no threats of any bird flu that a naked eye could see voluminous solid waste giving birth to lethal germs and unhygienic material due to carefree slaughtering and preparing of chicken meat. Gone were the days when people buying chicken meat used to object the lack of hygiene at the butcher shop. Now people most prefer to buy chicken meat in bulk, and they prefer it to be fetched by some driver, cook, and any other servant who could hardly have any interest in its hygiene. :tiphat: http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/feb-2008/4/nationalnews5.php

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

No bird flu threat

Ashraf Javed
LAHORE - The chicken rates have fell down by Rs 10 per-kg on Sunday here in the Punjab capital following the detection of bird flu virus in Sindh as the Live Stock Department Punjab has ruled out the threat in the province, terming the rumours as a conspiracy against the poultry industry.
?There is no bird flu threat in Punjab as the department has been collecting samples from all the poultry farms for the last four months. We are monitoring the overall situation closely and our surveillance system is effectively working in this regard,? Fateh Yaqoob, secretary live stock and dairy development told The Nation on Sunday.
He also ruled out the possibility of bird flu virus in Punjab saying that not a single case of bird flu had been detected across the province.
He further revealed that the district live stock officers had been directed to collect samples from the poultry farms on daily and weekly basis. ?We have also advised the district live stock officers how to collect the samples from the poultry farms,? he maintained.
He said that an official meeting of all the district live stock officers would also be held in this regard today (Monday) to discuss further plan of action and to review the over all monitoring situation in the province.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has termed the widespread bird flu rumours in the country as a conspiracy against the poultry industry.
?This (bird flu rumour) is purely a conspiracy by some vested interests against the poultry industry. Its nothing except propaganda to damage the industry,? Abdul Basit, central chairman Pakistan Poultry Association commented, when contacted. He also said that the wholesale rates of poultry products had fell down from Rs 57 to Rs 47 for live chicken on Sunday in the Punjab and the chicken is not being lifted from the poultry farms timely.
No one has been affected by the bird flu virus (H5N1) in Pakistan so far. The bird flu rumours, some two years back, were more widespread but it only damaged the industry as no case was reported, he added.
About the problems being faced by the poultry industry, he said that poultry farm owners did not have enough money to buy feed for the poultry birds at present due to the sudden crises as the prices are coming down day by day.
He further predicted that in near future there would be an acute shortage of chicken in Pakistan, which would lead to extreme price-hike as such propaganda, is badly damaging the poultry industry.
Due to the proper and timely vaccination in all the poultry farms in Punjab, there is no bird flu threat in the province. Now the poultry association has also started very expensive vaccination in Sindh, he maintained.
He said that the media should play its due role to this effect and inform the people about the exact position of bird flu in Pakistan instead of creating uncertainty in this regard. :tiphat: http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/feb-2008/4/localnews2.php

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

OIE-report, reporting 2 outbreaks in poultry

http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=6756

snips:

Causal agent

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

Serotype H5N1


Outbreak 1

M/S Rangers poultry farm, Karachi, SINDH

Date of start of the outbreak 28/01/2008

Outbreak 2

M/S Uni poultry farm, Karachi, SINDH

Date of start of the outbreak 28/01/2008

 

[HenryN]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Bird flu spreads as Rangers? farm infected
* Authorities arrest chicken merchant for ?selling bird flu-infected poultry?
KARACHI/SWAT: Government officials confirmed on Monday an outbreak of the deadly bird flu virus at a second farm in Karachi and said 12 people had been placed in an isolation ward, AFP reported. The virus was discovered at a poultry farm run by security forces, three days after it was found at another farm in the port city, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry official Rafiq-ul-Hassan Usmani said. ?We have found H5N1 virus in the second farm too this morning,? Usmani told AFP, adding that both farms have been sealed off and officials have culled around 10,000 chickens. A spokesman for the paramilitary Rangers force, which owns the farm, said they had alerted authorities and destroyed infected poultry and feedbags after hundreds of chickens were found dead. ?We have shifted nine of our workers to a hospital and doctors are monitoring them in an isolation ward,? said the spokesman, Major Asad Ali. Another three poultry handlers from the other farm where the virus was discovered last week have also been placed in an isolation ward at a local hospital, medical officials said. ?Our doctors are observing all the farm workers and have so far found no signs of transmission of the dangerous virus in any of them,? Sindh Health Secretary Abdul Majid said. Pakistan recorded its first death from bird flu in December when a man died in the NWFP. The victim?s brother also died before being tested for the virus. Dead chickens: The Tehsil Municipal Authority (TMA) of Mingora arrested a chicken dealer for selling sick birds and seized around 2,000 bird-flu infected chickens, according to a Daily Times staff report. According to sources, Sher Ali allegedly bought around 4,000 flu-infected birds from Hyderabad and was selling them in Mingora city. However, around 2,000 fowls died of the deadly disease. The authorities confirmed the death of 200 birds at the dealer?s shop. However, sources said 2,000 birds died of the disease. The health authorities have sent samples of dead and alive birds to a laboratory in Islamabad for bird-flu test. staff report /afp
http://www.pakistanlink.com/Headlines/Feb08/05/10.htm

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

from a friend of FT


Last Updated 06/02/2008, 04:57:28


Health authorities in Pakistan are doing tests on 12 workers from a farm where the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected in poultry.

The outbreak at the farm on the outskirts of Karachi is the second case in four days in the country's biggest city.

A Health Ministry spokesman says the workers have been isolated and are being tested by a team from the World Health Organisation.

Meanwhile, India's worst outbreak of bird flu appears to be under control, with a massive cull of poultry in West Bengal to contain the disease almost complete.

West Bengal borders Bangladesh, where the virus has been detected in poultry in more than half of the country's 64 districts



http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s2155342.htm

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>

No bird flu case found in Kashmore​

</TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>Associated Press of Pakistan
</TD></TR><TR><TD>KASHMORE: The agriculture and poultry department officials have said no case of bird flu virus is found in the district. Meanwhile, the poultry farm owners have blamed the authorities for raising unnecessary alarm and damaging poultry industry by spreading rumours. They said there was no bird flu in the district. The chicken and egg rates remained stable in the district. The district officer poultry along with representatives of Poultry Farm Owners Association visited different poultry farms and inspected chickens.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
:tiphat: http://thepost.com.pk/NatNews.aspx?dtlid=143211&catid=2

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>

Eat chicken without fear?​

</TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>APP
</TD></TR><TR><TD>ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) here Wednesday said that poultry meat and eggs were safe for human consumption and there were no threats of bird flu outbreak. "There was not even a single report all across the world that a person had died of eating chicken or an egg," Abdul Basit, Central Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) told journalists. He quoted the head of World Organization for Animal Health as having said that fears of a flu pandemic originating from the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus were overblown.The PPA chairman said affected chicken cannot survive for a long time and it is not possible to bring them to the market. :tiphat:
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=143371&catid=17

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Bird flu or plan to sell vaccine?

AMRAIZ KHAN
LAHORE - The government has failed to prevent and control avian and pandemic influenza in the county despite warning issued by World Health Organization (WHO) to prepare plan in this regard, an expert of the poultry field said on Sunday.
Approval of national plan for prevention and control of avian and pandemic influenza costing 5.511 millions dollars was also too late and the same should have been started in 2005 when WHO had warned the country in this connection, he maintained.
According to the sources within Livestock Department, the present outbreak of bird flu in Karachi was also creating doubts in general public and people related to the poultry industry. Some circles were of the view that all of it was being done to sell vaccines imported by certain influential stake-holders while others were of the view that it had happened due to the negligence of the government who had not taken proper measures for the prevention and control of the disease.
Sources said that it was primary job of the MINFAL and other allied departments to categorize poultry farms to the existing level of bio-security. It is worth mentioning here that most of the 25000 poultry farms of the country were without boundary walls. The government should ask the farmers to build boundary wall around their farms.
Since 1947 government failed to promulgate any sort of legislation in this regard without which bio security measures could not be imposed. An officer of Live Stock seeking anonymity said that in Pakistan international standards were not being followed even while culling the birds. He was of the view that on the outbreak of bird flu anywhere in the world the government had to cull the birds from all the farms falling within the radius of 3 to five kilometres of the affected farm, but in Pakistan culling was exercised only on the affected farm. He informed that H5N1 virus could not be stopped with makeshift arrangements.
According to the WHO report, at present H5N1 has been witnessed in 62 countries of the World and Pakistan is also among one of them. In 2005, bird flu hit 14 countries including, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Turkey and Thailand etc, a WHO report says, adding that so far 222 people have died of bird flu and 354 were effected while 260 million birds died. Some circles were of the view that an influential officer appointed in Regional Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza was also running his private company preparing vaccine for H5 N1. They expressed fear that he might be involved in the fake out-break of bird flu only to sell his vaccine. :tiphat: http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/feb-2008/4/index2.php

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Central team to visit bird flu affected areas today
MALDA, Feb. 6: Central observers will visit the Bird Flu affected areas in the northern part of this district tomorrow, the Chanchal SDO, Mr Debasish Sarkar, said today. Before the visit of the proposed team, the district administration is trying hard to complete mopping up today.
Mr Sarkar had to start mopping actions for a second time, when the villagers started backyard chicken rearing in 17 villages after the completion of culling and mopping operations on 31 January. :surrender:
Mr Sarkar said that nine rapid response teams teams have been deployed in nine villages. They have killed 693 birds yesterday.
Another eight teams were engaged in mopping up activities in other villages close to the Bihar border.
A total of 86,065 birds belonging to backyard poultry were culled till 31 January in Chanchal I and Harishchandrapur block I, covering a five km radius from Mahanandapur in Chanchal-I block. The ART members have faced resistance in two villages, including Nonator along the Bihar border.
According Mr Sarkar the villagers questioned the killing of birds brought from Bihar."With the help of police, ART officials collected the birds and killed them later. No compensation would be paid," Mr Sarkar said.
The Chanchal SDO has already written a letter to the Malda district magistrate so that he can urge the district magistrate of Katihar to conduct culling operations in his part to stop bird smuggling.
Though the state has restricted trade of chicken and egg for an indefinite period, the traders did not know this and sold off chickens in Malda market openly last evening.
Despite today's strike some chicken traders opened their counters today. Though the prices of poultry is low, that of backyard chickens is high. A few retail traders are selling them for Rs 90 per kg. The broiler chicken is being sold at Rs 30 per kg in the market. "We had brought backyard chickens from Itahar in North Dinajpur secretly. That is why the rate is high," Shiekh Ajmal, a chicken trader in Malda market said. :tiphat: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=10&theme=&usrsess=1&id=189358
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\02\07\story_7-2-2008_pg11_5

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

No bird flu in Punjab, says minister
RECORDER REPORT
MULTAN (February 07 2008): Caretaker Punjab Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Mumtaz Ahmed Khan Manais has categorically stated that there was no bird flu in Punjab and we have increased the surveillance of poultry farms and taking all precautionary measures to check its outbreak.

"Talking to newsmen on Wednesday at the luncheon of All Pakistan Bedsheet and Upholstry Manufacturers Association (APBUMA) he said that a high alert has been declared in Punjab after confirmation of a bird flu case in Karachi. He said no bird flu virus was found in the flesh of poultry, adding culling the birds was the responsibility of the district governments, which should manage things, including sanitation and spray.

The Minister said there were at least 25,800 poultry farms in the country and any person could open a poultry farm after obtaining an NOC from the Ministry of Livestock. He said the government was closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and had taken appropriate steps to ensure timely containment of any human cases of Avian Influenza. The Minister said that Pakistan is at fifth number among cotton, third in date, seventh in mango, fourth among milk producing countries.

While it was the second largest country in "Kinnu" producing states. However now we are passing through severe food autarky. He said that our cotton, wheat and mango production was badly affected during last three years. The minister claimed that previous Government had spent more funds on livestock sector than previous regimes of 55 years, which had given a boost tom this sector.

However our agriculture was entirely depending upon the subsidies or compensation. He stressed the need for processing of the milk and said that what a pity that only 3.2 million litre milk was being processed while total consumption of milk in Lahore is 3.8 million.

The minister said that 80 to 100 percent milk was being processed in developed countries. He said that we can produce cheese, butter, ghee, yugurt and other products and earn more and more foreign exchange like Holland. He further said that Pond-fish was being sold out by pretending it "river fish ".:tiphat: http://www.brecorder.com/./index.php?id=690938&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=normaltext>Aaj news channel blacked out again
</TD></TR><TR align=justify height=5><TD class=Normaltext align=justify></TD></TR><!-- <tr> <td > <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1">--><TR align=justify><TD class=Normaltext align=justify>ISLAMABAD (updated on: February 07, 2008, 00:38 PST): Government on Wednesday took off air for a second time a Aaj news channel known for its independence, a network official said, despite assurances by President Pervez Musharraf to his allies that he would uphold media freedom.

Aaj television suddenly vanished from cable networks in Islamabad and several other cities late Wednesday as it aired a popular politics and current affairs talk show, Tariq Chaudhry, Islamabad bureau chief for the network told AFP.

"We were not informed by any authority, nor did they warn us before this unannounced blackout," Chaudhry said.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
:tiphat: http://www.brecorder.com/latestindex.php?latest_id=7122

 

[Commonground]

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Re: Pakistan - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 23+

Bird flu reaches Swat
Dated: February 07, 2008 Thursday 28 Moharram 1429 A.H

MINGORA (SANA): Bird flu virus has been detected in Swat. According to details 3,000 chickens out of 4,000 brought from Hyderabad (Sindh) were found dead. Taking timely action, the administration took 1,000 chickens into its control. A committee of two doctors has been assigned the task of formal inspection of these chickens. Doctors have taken samples from live chicken which have been sent to Islamabad for tests. Remaining chickens have been killed while 220 chickens have been quarantined. Business of chickens has been severely affected after the death of chickens and fear of bird flu.

http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=ts&nid=667