| Japanese officials begin cull after test confirms avian flu
Agricultural authorities began culling thousands of chickens at a southern Japanese poultry farm yesterday after test results found a pathogenic strain of the bird flu virus, officials said amid the nation's latest outbreak of the disease. Some 4,000 chickens have died at a farm in the town of Kiyotake in Japan's southern prefecture of Miyazaki since last week, and local officials said late on Saturday that the virus belonged to the broad H5 family. It was not yet clear whether the virus was the H5N1 strain that has killed dozens of people worldwide since 2003. But prefectural poultry official Keijiro Tarumizu said test results so far suggested that the virus was virulent enough for all the chickens at the farm to be destroyed. Yesterday, about 150 local officials in white protective gear began culling the farm's surviving birds, packing them in plastic bags for fatal gassing before burying or burning them.
Japan: Culling begins at farm hit by bird flu
Agricultural authorities began culling thousands of chickens at a southern Japanese poultry farm Sunday after test results found a pathogenic strain of the bird flu virus, officials said amid the nation's latest outbreak of the disease. Some 4,000 chickens have died at a farm in the town of Kiyotake in Japan's southern prefecture (state) of Miyazaki since last week, and local officials said late Saturday that the virus belonged to the broad H5 family. .
Bird flu fight pledged
PREMIER Wen Jiabao pledged yesterday that China will step up efforts to prevent bird flu, promising nations convening for an East Asia Summit in the Philippines that China will wage an effective and transparent fight against the disease. China has suffered 14 human deaths from the H5N1 virus since 2003, and millions of birds have been destroyed in the effort to contain outbreaks among farmed poultry. "The Chinese government takes the prevention and control of avian influenza seriously," Wen said in a speech to leaders of Asia-Pacific region leaders. "It runs an open and transparent information releasing system and is successful and timely in preventing the spread of avian influenza," Wen said.
Shanghai Daily News .
Bird Flu Kills Indonesian, May Have Returned to Japan (Update3)
Jan. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Bird flu killed a 37-year-old woman in Indonesia and may have infected hundreds of poultry in Japan as the lethal virus resurfaces across Asia. The woman's death late yesterday brings to 59 the number of fatalities from the H5N1 avian influenza virus in Indonesia, Runizar Ruesin, a Health Ministry official, said in a mobile phone text message today. Japan's farm ministry suspects the virus killed poultry on a farm on the southern island of Kyushu. The new infections provide chances for H5N1 to mutate into a form more dangerous to people. Millions could die if it mutates and begins spreading easily between people, sparking a pandemic. South Korea, Vietnam and Nigeria had fresh poultry outbreaks last month, while China and Egypt found human cases.
City bird flu alert was false alarm
A woman of Asian origin suspected of being infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu was on Thursday admitted to an isolation ward at a Pretoria hospital. But an initial evaluation conducted by doctors at the Mediforum Medi-Clinic who liaised with specialists at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) found the case to be negative. Hospital manager Joey le Roux said the patient was admitted to the hospital on Thursday morning. "The hospital responded according to the Medi-Clinic avian flu policy. "The patient was admitted to an isolation ward and all the processes in terms of the policy were followed. Specific gloves, clothing and masks are worn when dealing with cases of avian flu," she said. .
Risk management expert summarizes bird flu issues
Most migratory birds have now flown south, but they havent taken with them rising public awareness of the dreaded avian influenza, or simply bird flu, of which such birds can be carriers.
With the flu season here, residents receiving flu shots have no illusions that the vaccine theyre getting will protect them should bird flu reach the western hemisphere, and even New Canaan, as part of a worldwide pandemic.
The Bird or Avian Flu also known as Influenza A:H5N1 has now been found in more than 50 countries in Asia, the East Indies, Europe and northern Africa. As of October 31 of 2006, the World Health Organization says there have been 256 cases of bird flu among humans in ten countries with 152 deaths in nine of these nations, a death rate of 59 percent.
Avian Flu Test Offered to Nebraska Farmers
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- A testing program unveiled Thursday will help Nebraska poultry farmers check their birds for avian influenza. The state Department of Agriculture said department employees will administer the free tests at the request of the farmer. Samples will be sent to the University of Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center for analysis. "Thankfully, avian influenza hasn't been found here, but it's important to be pro-active and vigilant to protect our state," said Greg Ibach, director of the agriculture department. He said the simple tests go a long way to protect the state's poultry industry, which accounts for $1.35 billion of the Nebraska economy each year. Birds that can be tested include chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, guineas, ducks and geese.
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