Tweet
Source: http://www.mmtimes.com/no447/n007.htm
As winter nears, officials urge farmers to stay alert for bird flu
Thein Linn, Theik Zin and Nilar Win
THE Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department has warned commercial and small-scale poultry farmers throughout the country to be on high alert for bird flu during the cool season, from November to February.
Dr Aung Gyi, the deputy director general of the department under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, said that during cool season Myanmar is on the flight path of many wild migratory birds, which can be infected with avian influenza and can pass the disease on to domestic poultry.
?All poultry farmers must take better care of their birds than in previous cool seasons. Outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza can occur in any area of the country,? he said.
?Poultry farmers need to be alert for signs of illness in all birds, especially chickens and ducks,? said Dr Aung Gyi. ?Farmers should immediately inform the nearest office of our department if they see any evidence of infection. If so, the disease can be controlled quickly, before it spreads.?
?The more quickly we get the information, the faster we can respond and prevent a bigger problem,? he added.
Dr Aung Gyi said the department, in cooperation with other ministries, was surveying all poultry farms along migratory routes to determine the potential extent of contact between wild birds and domesticated poultry.
?We are also conducting regular checks and inspections at poultry farms, chicken breeding factories and poultry markets throughout the country,? he said.
He said the department is able to check for the virus in the field using rapid test kits. Positive results can be sent to the department?s main lab in Yangon for confirmation.
?The lab in Yangon has recently been upgraded to international standard with help from the Asia Development Bank and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation,? Dr Aung Gyi said. ?Other labs around the country, especially those in border areas, will also be upgraded.?
?All animal farmers should be aware of the financial repercussions of bird flu because if an outbreak occurs, not only the poultry but also the buildings holding the birds, the feed and other farming materials will have to be destroyed and burnt,? he said.
In Myanmar, 600,000 birds and eggs were destroyed in 2006, and 3000 birds were slaughtered in 2007 as the result of bird flu outbreaks.
The World Organisation for Animal Health declared Myanmar a bird-flu-free country last April because there had been no continuous outbreaks since November 2007.
The recent upgrade of the Yangon lab was done with help from international agencies. The animal quarantine lab, located in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries compound in Insein township, has been upgraded to bio-safety level 2 in a building renovated and equipped with assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health. Scientists can now test suspect bird diseases in place, instead of sending virus samples to Japan or Thailand, and respond more quickly to an outbreak.
?Due to the enhancement to bio-safety level 2, the H5N1 bird-flu virus can be tested in Myanmar, and if the disease breaks out, we can start control procedures immediately,? said Prof Dr Kyaw Sunn, of the government?s Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (Research and Disease Control). The work was completed in October.
The lab is equipped with negative air pressure and filters to ensure that the disease does not spread.
?We also installed some BSL level 3 equipment in this lab. Now we can test samples here because we have assembled a gene sequencer already, so that we can analyse the bird flu virus?s history and changes? said Dr Kyaw Sunn.
The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries has already built BSL 2 enhanced labs in Mandalay, Pathein and Taunggyi, as well as four quarantine labs in Myitkyina, Muse, Lashio and Tachilake. The ministry is also transferring the Mandalay regional lab to Sinkai next year and arranging to build other facilities in every state to help prevent and control bird flu.
As winter nears, officials urge farmers to stay alert for bird flu
Thein Linn, Theik Zin and Nilar Win
THE Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department has warned commercial and small-scale poultry farmers throughout the country to be on high alert for bird flu during the cool season, from November to February.
Dr Aung Gyi, the deputy director general of the department under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, said that during cool season Myanmar is on the flight path of many wild migratory birds, which can be infected with avian influenza and can pass the disease on to domestic poultry.
?All poultry farmers must take better care of their birds than in previous cool seasons. Outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza can occur in any area of the country,? he said.
?Poultry farmers need to be alert for signs of illness in all birds, especially chickens and ducks,? said Dr Aung Gyi. ?Farmers should immediately inform the nearest office of our department if they see any evidence of infection. If so, the disease can be controlled quickly, before it spreads.?
?The more quickly we get the information, the faster we can respond and prevent a bigger problem,? he added.
Dr Aung Gyi said the department, in cooperation with other ministries, was surveying all poultry farms along migratory routes to determine the potential extent of contact between wild birds and domesticated poultry.
?We are also conducting regular checks and inspections at poultry farms, chicken breeding factories and poultry markets throughout the country,? he said.
He said the department is able to check for the virus in the field using rapid test kits. Positive results can be sent to the department?s main lab in Yangon for confirmation.
?The lab in Yangon has recently been upgraded to international standard with help from the Asia Development Bank and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation,? Dr Aung Gyi said. ?Other labs around the country, especially those in border areas, will also be upgraded.?
?All animal farmers should be aware of the financial repercussions of bird flu because if an outbreak occurs, not only the poultry but also the buildings holding the birds, the feed and other farming materials will have to be destroyed and burnt,? he said.
In Myanmar, 600,000 birds and eggs were destroyed in 2006, and 3000 birds were slaughtered in 2007 as the result of bird flu outbreaks.
The World Organisation for Animal Health declared Myanmar a bird-flu-free country last April because there had been no continuous outbreaks since November 2007.
The recent upgrade of the Yangon lab was done with help from international agencies. The animal quarantine lab, located in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries compound in Insein township, has been upgraded to bio-safety level 2 in a building renovated and equipped with assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health. Scientists can now test suspect bird diseases in place, instead of sending virus samples to Japan or Thailand, and respond more quickly to an outbreak.
?Due to the enhancement to bio-safety level 2, the H5N1 bird-flu virus can be tested in Myanmar, and if the disease breaks out, we can start control procedures immediately,? said Prof Dr Kyaw Sunn, of the government?s Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (Research and Disease Control). The work was completed in October.
The lab is equipped with negative air pressure and filters to ensure that the disease does not spread.
?We also installed some BSL level 3 equipment in this lab. Now we can test samples here because we have assembled a gene sequencer already, so that we can analyse the bird flu virus?s history and changes? said Dr Kyaw Sunn.
The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries has already built BSL 2 enhanced labs in Mandalay, Pathein and Taunggyi, as well as four quarantine labs in Myitkyina, Muse, Lashio and Tachilake. The ministry is also transferring the Mandalay regional lab to Sinkai next year and arranging to build other facilities in every state to help prevent and control bird flu.
Comment