Myanmar - H5N1 - Bird & Chicken Deaths on the Rise in Western Burma

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n209245

Bird flu H5N1 re-strikes Myanmar
6 February 2010 | 06:28 | FOCUS News Agency

Yangon. Bird flu H5N1 has re-struck Myanmar with one case occurring in Yangon's Mayangong township in the beginning of this month, according to a statement of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) Saturday, Xinhua News Agency informed.

Control measures are being against the spread of the disease, the statement said, calling on people to step up bio-security measures, change of livestock breeding system, avoidance of illegal import, transport and trading of chickens and its products, and prompt report of suspected bird flu case.

In April 2008, the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) declared Myanmar as a bird-flu-free country three months after the country was proved that there was no residual bird flu virus remained over the period since January of the year.

From February 2006 until the last in December 2007, there were numerous outbreaks of the avian influenza in Myanmar covering 25 townships of six states and divisions.

All of the occurrences were blamed for infecting from abroad especially that the virus was carried into the country by migratory birds from the cold regions in the world infecting local birds, according to the LBVD.
Myanmar reported outbreak of the avian influenza in the country for the first time in some poultry farms in Mandalay and Sagaing divisions in early 2006, followed by those in Yangon division in early 2007, in Mon state's Thanbyuzayat and western Bago division' s Letpadan in July and in eastern Bago division's Thanatpin and in Yangon division's Hmawby in October the same year.

Despite the declaration as a bird-flu-free country, the Myanmar livestock authorities continued to call on the country's people to exercise a long-term precaution against the deadly H5N1 bird flu.

[Treyfish]

Doctors urged to be alert against bird flu

A SENIOR medical officer has urged all doctors to participate in preparations and surveillance against a possible outbreak of bird flu and to provide information about the disease to the public.

http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/myanmartim...5-296/n004.htm

[RoRo]

Avian flu detected on army farm
Monday, 08 February 2010 01:12 Myint Maung & Myo Thein .
New Delhi, Rangoon (Mizzima) – The potentially fatal avian flu has been detected on an army-run poultry farm in Rangoon.

The February 6th issue of the government operated Myanmar Ahlin confirmed that the Ministry of Fishery and Livestock identified the outbreak of avian influenza at a poultry farm in No. 5 Ward, Mayangon Township.

The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department carried out the field inspection at the poultry farm, which has about 2,500 chickens, on February 2nd and 3rd. Laboratory tests, conducted twice, subsequently confirmed a case of severe avian flu, the newspaper reported.

Though the newspaper did not mention the location of the poultry farm, the Peace and Development Council (PDC) office from No. 5 Ward, Mayangon Township, said the poultry farm is owned by the Motor Vehicle Transport Unit of the Camp Commandant of Rangoon Command.

“Bird flu was reported in the Motor Transport Unit. Ward PDC officials visited the poultry farm and sprayed disinfectant and cleaned the farm yesterday yet again,” a local official told Mizzima.

In No. 5 Ward, Mayangon Township, there are no other poultry farms except the one owned by the army unit, the official added.

After administering both a Rapid Test and PCR Test, the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department confirmed the avian flu outbreak, reporting the findings to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other relevant bodies, the newspaper said.

The Motor Vehicle Transport Unit is situated in the former Psychiatric Hospital compound on Kaba Aye Road beside the Tooth Relic Pagoda in Mayangon Township.

The battalion commander has since issued orders not to consume dead chickens.

“The first few chickens died on January 21st in the battalion owned poultry farm, and after four or five days about 700 chickens died. Soon after, the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department came and inspected the farm. It ordered the elimination of all chickens raised there. Some army families had raised their own chickens, accounting for maybe 15 to 20 chickens per family,” an army family member commented.

Before the outbreak of avian flu, poultry products from the farm were sold daily at the tax-free market beside the Tooth Relic Pagoda.

Farms owned by army units under the authority of Rangoon Command supply Rangoon Division with approximately 70 percent of its poultry products.


Last Updated ( Monday, 08 February 2010 01:42 )
http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-b...army-farm.html

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=17768

Eggs Withdrawn at Markets after Flu Outbreak
By LAWI WENG Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Burmese authorities have banned the sale of eggs in markets in Rangoon Division after the discovery of the A/H1N1 virus at a chicken farm, according to Rangoon sources.

The ban extends initially to Feb 28, the sources said. The authorities ordered the ban after more than 100 chickens died of the swine flu virus.

Meanwhile, state media reported on Monday that eight students in the Rangoon suburb of North Okkalapa and four people in Chin State had contracted A/H1N1.

The infected students were admitted to the Wai Bar Gi infectious diseases hospital in Rangoon, and 73 people with whom they possibly had contact were quarantined.

Since the original global outbreak of A/H1N1 in April 2009, 69 cases have been registered in Burma. There were no fatalities.

Dr Myo Lwin, a national consultant with the World Health Organization in Burma, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday: “It is like a wave. It can happen any time because the virus is in the air and can easily infect people.”

Myo Lwin said the authorities had sufficient medicine and facilities to control the outbreak.

Dr Zaw Ye Myint, a veterinary surgeon in Rangoon, told The Irrawaddy he was worried the virus could transmute and take a more serious form.

Health workers say that although precautions are adequate at Rangoon International Airport, border checkpoints lacked the necessary equipment to test arriving travelers.

[RoRo]

Avian influenza detected in Mayangone poultry farm
By Nilar Win
(Volume 26, No. 510)
OFFICIALS were last week monitoring Yangon markets and poultry farms for signs of avian influenza after an outbreak of the disease was detected at a poultry farm in Mayangone township.

The outbreak was the first confirmed case of H5N1 influenza in Myanmar since the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) declared the country avian flu-free in April 2008.

“We are mainly monitoring the live bird market,” said Dr Aung Gyi, the deputy general manager of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department.

“I want to warn breeders about the lack of symptoms [in the most recent case]. This time we found H5N1 influenza occurring in chickens that showed no signs of decreased feeding or egg production,” Dr Aung Gyi said.

The Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, tested chickens at a farm in Mayangone’s No 5 ward after several died in suspicious circumstances. Tests showed the chickens had died from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) after being infected with H5N1 influenza, Dr Aung Gyi said.

“Since the end of January, the farm had some cases of chickens dying. We tested the dead chickens in two ways – rapid test and polymerase chain reaction test – at our enhanced laboratory in Insein township and these tests confirmed that the deaths were caused by H5N1,” Dr Aung Gyi said.

About 2500 layers were subsequently destroyed by authorities as a precautionary measure. “We disposed of all the chicken and ducks at the farm and within a one-kilometre radius of the affected area and disinfected everything. Now we are taking follow-up measures, such as monitoring other chicken farms in Yangon,” he said.

Dr Aung Gyi said the outbreak has been reported to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and surveillance, epidemiology, bio security and diagnosis teams are working to ensure there are no further outbreaks.

He said people handling poultry could take steps to minimise the chances of the outbreak spreading.

“Some people are still carrying chickens upside down while they are riding a bicycle or trishaw – this is unsafe and makes it easier for the virus to spread, whether the chickens are dead or alive.

“Breeders and butchers should wear masks while they are in the farm or a slaughterhouse. Some people are ashamed to wear face masks but we need to start making it a habit.”

Breeders should inform the department if there are any suspicious chicken deaths at their farms and not to try to track down the source of the infection themselves. Some other diseases can appear similar to HPAI and it is difficult to determine the exact course of death without laboratory testing.

The department is also implementing a computerised database system for monitoring poultry farms with the collaboration of database specialist and epidemiologist Dr Chris Bartel from the FAO. The FAO has provided GPS, computers and software and the department is now undertaking a survey of the animal population and population density across the country.
http://www.mmtimes.com/2010/news/510/n51005.html

Comment: The original OIE report has 100% mortality of infected birds. The highlighted text suggests that some infected birds were asymptomatic.
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=140658

[Twall]

Bird and Chicken Deaths on the Rise in Western Burma

2/19/2010


Maungdaw: Thousands of chickens and other birds have died along the western Burmese border over the last ten days, but authorities have not yet made an announcement regarding the reason behind the deaths.

An official from Maungdaw said, "An official team led by Maungdaw Township Chairman U Tin Own went on Wednesday to Bagon Na Village to investigate where over 100 chickens died in a outbreak all together of an unknown disease."

Bagon Na Village is located on the outskirts of the town of Maungdaw. Veterinarians on the team brought some of the chickens that died at the poultry farm to Maungdaw in order to send them to Rangoon for preliminary tests.

A retired police officer from Wima La Ward said, "The deaths of chickens and birds in Maungdaw Township have increased recently. This is not just an outbreak in a rural area but has also happened in downtown Maungdaw. Many chickens, crows, and other kind of birds are dying in our town."
The worst hit areas are rural areas of Maungdaw Township, where large numbers of birds are dying on a daily basis.

Many people are now avoiding eating chicken or eggs, even though there has been no official alert about the disease in Maungdaw.

A hostess said, "People in Maungdaw are not eating chicken or eggs at present, nor are they going to the chicken markets because they are worrying about the disease infecting people."

Many townspeople are anxious about the death of the chickens and other birds, and are concerned that it is due to an outbreak of the bird flu, possible the H5N1 strain.

There has not been such an outbreak or occurrence of chicken deaths prior to this.

"It is very rare and such an incident has never happened in Maungdaw before. I heard thousands of chickens and birds died in Maungdaw Township after being infected by the disease from chickens that were brought from Rangoon to Maungdaw by FAO, a non-profit organization," the retired police officer added.

FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization, has distributed many chickens that were brought from Rangoon to widows and poor families in Maungdaw Township. After the chickens were distributed, thousands of birds and chickens began dying in the township along the border.