Ukrainian village put in quarantine over bird flu scare

[hawkeye]

I tend not to post in "Breaking News" but...
5:22 | 13/ 06/ 2006

Ukrainian village put in quarantine over bird flu scare

KIEV, June 13 (RIA Novosti) - Quarantine regulations have been imposed on a village in eastern Ukraine in a bid to deter the spread of bird flu, the Ukrainian emergencies ministry said Tuesday.

"The village [of Peski] has been put in quarantine to deter the spread of the dangerous virus," Igor Krol, head of the emergencies ministry's press service, said.

Krol said more than 7,000 domestic fowl would have to be culled, adding that villagers would be compensated for the dead poultry. He said more than 70 ministry experts were currently working in the area, and that work would be completed within the next two days.

"There is no danger to people's health," he said.

The disease, originating in East Asia, has spread worldwide. Scientists fear the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus of bird flu could mutate into a form that passes easily between humans and spark a global pandemic.

Ukraine was previously hit by several bird flu outbreaks in its Crimea region on the Black Sea coast last fall, when more than 150,000 domestic fowl were culled in 40 locations around the peninsula.

 

[Theresa42]

1st bird flu cases in northern Ukraine

1st bird flu cases in northern Ukraine

Archive Number 20060613.1646
Published Date 13-JUN-2006
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (136) - Ukraine

AVIAN INFLUENZA (136) - UKRAINE
*********************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Mon 12 Jun 2006
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: Reuters Alertnet, 12 Jun 2006 [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L12398930.htm>

1st bird flu cases in northern Ukraine
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Teams of veterinarians have been sent to destroy domestic poultry in northern Ukraine after the 1st appearance of bird flu in the region, Interfax Ukraine news agency reported on Monday [12 Jun 2006].

Avian flu had previously been detected late last year [2005] in the Crimea peninsula, a major stopover point on migratory routes, jutting into the Black Sea in southern Ukraine.

Interfax, quoting Ukraine's Emergencies Ministry, said 77 specialists had been sent along with police to a village in Sumy region, near the border with Russia, after cases were noted on Sunday [11 Jun 2006]. Plans called for 7200 birds to be destroyed.

It said villagers had been offered compensation.

The dispatch, however, made no mention of whether the virus detected was the deadly H5N1 type, as was found in Crimea. Previous instances of bird flu in Ukraine have required further checks at laboratories in western Europe.

Specialized teams of sanitary workers destroyed well over 200 000 birds after the outbreak in Crimea. No human cases were recorded.

Ukraine's authorities have said that the outbreak was brought under control but have predicted further difficulties during the passage of migratory birds through the country this year [2006].

--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Ukraine is joining Romania and Hungary in demonstrating that the forecasts visualizing a hibernation of the H5N1 virus (which is, most probably, responsible for the current focus) were premature.

For an interactive map of Ukraine, go to <http://travel.kyiv.org/map/>. - Mod.AS]

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/prome..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,33232

 

[hawkeye]

Re: Ukrainian village put in quarantine over bird flu scare

Baloha: All domesticated fowl in Pisky to be culled by the end of day

An operational group of the Emergencies ministry is culling a domesticated fowl with bird flu in the village of Pisky in Sumy oblast, according to the Our Ukraine press-office.

That’s what Viktor Baloha, the Emergencies Minister, and member of “Our Ukraine” party said.

The virus of the bird flu has been found in this village.

“The operational group arrived at 11.15 yesterday as soon as the information on the epidemic was received” – he said.

“The events were strange for local people and not all of them were willing to co-operate with the Emergencies ministry’s workers. Only 25% of the fowl was culled on the first day” – Mr. Baloha informed.

“But local people have understood the problem thanks to explanations. We plant to cull the fowl from about 500 local households by the end of the day” – he explained.

Mr. Baloha added that a possibility of the virus’ distribution was next to zero thanks to efficient measures of rescue workers.

“In addition, the nearest settlement is five kilometers from the village of Pisky” – he informed.