Ostriches die in Kuwait

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=NewsDetailsTitle>New bird flu cases found at ostrich farm in Southern Kuwait </TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=NewsDetailsCategory> 4/22/2007 5:21:00 PM</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=ArticleDetails><TABLE class=ImageFloat cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=pictureCaption id=tdCaption align=middle width=180></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>New bird flu cases found at ostrich farm in Southern Kuwait KUWAIT, April 22 (KUNA) -- New cases of bird flu have been discovered at an ostrich farm in Wafra, southern Kuwait, said the joint committee for bird flu combat on Sunday.
Committee spokesman Dr. Ahmad Al-Shatti told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) tests conducted on samples taken from dead ostrich birds by the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) came back positive for the virus.
He said a radius of three kilometers from the infected area had been sealed and some 200 ostriches were being culled, as well as other birds in the area.
The committee is carrying out all measures as stipulated by the World Organization for Animal Health, he said.
He commended PAAAFR's teams and their quick containment of the virus, adding that the country remained free of any human cases.
Al-Shatti called on citizens and residents to refrain from transporting birds between areas so as not to contribute to spreading the virus. (end) kt.aa.ema KUNA 221721 Apr 07NNNN </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1726978&Language=en

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Re: Ostriches die in Kuwait

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=556 border=0 valign="top"><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD vAlign=top width=2 bgColor=white> </TD><TD vAlign=top width=554><!-- start: main content --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left><INPUT onclick="javascript:this.disabled=true; doSubmit('Back');" type=button value=Back></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE summary=""><TBODY><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Archive Number</TD><TD noWrap align=left>20070422.1319</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Published Date</TD><TD noWrap align=left>22-APR-2007</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Subject</TD><TD noWrap align=left>PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (74): Kuwait </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
[2] Kuwait: ostrichDate: Sun 22 Apr 2007From: Joseph Dudley <fnjpd@uaf.edu>Source: Reuters [edited]<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L22680261.htm>Kuwait reports new case of bird flu in ostrichKuwait said on Sunday [22 Apr 2007] it has found a new case of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in the south of the Gulf Arab state near the Saudi border."We now have 46 infected focal points after the latest finding in an ostrich in Wafra," said health ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Shatti."We no longer count individual cases. We concentrate on focal points or areas where the disease has been found, like farms, domestic cages or pens," he added.On 2 Apr 2007, Kuwait said the number of individual bird flu cases found in falcons, chicken and quails was 106.Kuwait has culled around 1.7 million birds, banned import of live birds, closed down the country's zoo as well as poultry shops in residential areas since the 1st case was reported this year in February 2007.Kuwaiti news agency KUNA said earlier in April 2007 that poultry sales have fallen around 40 percent since the outbreak of the disease.In 2005, Kuwait reported a case of bird flu in a flamingo.--Joseph P. Dudley, Ph.DResearch Associate,Institute of Arctic Biology - University of Alaska FairbanksDepartment of Earth Science - University of Alaska Museum<fnjpd@uaf.edu>[Kuwait's last follow-up report, including a map of the recorded outbreaks at that date, was submitted to the OIE on 14 Mar 2007; see<http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=5024>.The disease has been officially reported during 2007 from 19 countries, including the Middle-Eastern countries Saudi Arabia and Turkey, while human cases have been reported from Egypt. However, Egypt's last update on its animal-disease situation dates back to March 2006. Rumors on HPAI occurrence in Iran remain to be confirmed or otherwise. - Mod.AS] </PRE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P>http://tinyurl.com/32vpey