march 08 Health Alerts

 

Turkey reports outbreak near Greek border

23/03/08

Veterinary officials in Turkey have confirmed an H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in the western part of the country near the border with Greece , according to a report dated 18 Mar 2008 from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The virus struck 22 backyard chickens at a village near Ipsala in Edirne province, according to the OIE report. The remaining 16 birds were destroyed. Turkish officials listed fomites, which could involve contamination spread by humans, vehicles, or animal feed, as the source of the outbreak.  

This has led to the Greek authorities issuing a warning to poultry breeders in the Greek prefecture of Evros to keep their livestock indoors and prevent them from coming into contact with wild birds

Continuing outbreaks China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India

19/03/08

Entering its 6th year, the H5N1 panzootic continues activity in the eastern hemisphere, demonstrating a seasonal pattern. Despite extensive culling and strict government regulations reports of new outbreaks continue to appear in local press and government statements.

In China the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed an outbreak in Gaungzhou city on 16 March.It was China 's 5th bird flu outbreak in poultry this year. Others included one in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 2 in the south western Tibet Autonomous Region, and one in the south western Guizhou Province.  

In Vietnam tests on dead ducks from a Thang Binh District farm in the central province of Quang Nam , were positive for the H5N1 virus according to a People's Committee announcement on 16 March. Bird flu cases have previously been reported in the provinces of Quang Ninh, Hai Duong , Nam Dinh, Tuyen Quang, Ninh Binh, Vinh Long, Phu Tho, Ha Nam and Hanoi.  

In Bangladesh and the adjacent Indian province of West Bengal outbreaks continue. Most families living in rural Bengal own chickens which roam freely around their backyards and courtyards. It is well-known that backyard chickens are particularly vulnerable to the bird flu virus. This is a problem that applies to conditions in Vietnam and Egypt as well as Indonesia.

Vietnam notifies another human case

18/03/08

Viet Nam 's National Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute said the country's latest human case of bird flu infection was an 11 year old boy from northern Ha Nam province, who died on 14 Mar 2008 after 4 days of treatment in Hanoi capital, the Viet Nam News Agency reported Monday [17 Mar 2008].   The institute's tests showed that the boy from Thanh Liem district was infected with bird flu virus strain H5N1, the news agency quoted Nguyen Lap Quyet, director of the Ha Nam Health Department, as saying. The boy became ill on 5 Mar 2008, and was admitted to the Ha Nam General Hospital in the province on 8 Mar 2008, and the National Hospital of Pediatrics in Hanoi on 11 Mar 2008.

Since the epidemic began in 2003 Vietnam has reported 106 cases of human infection with 52 death