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Hat-tip Crawford Kilian via Carol@SC!
Bird flu suspected in Savannakhet
March 9, 2007
Authorities in Savannakhet province announced yesterday that they would cull 35,000 poultry within two days, after samples taken from dead poultry tested positive for the H5 type of bird flu.
They began the culling in four areas of 25 villages in Kaysone Phomvihane district marked as red zones, and 21 villages marked as yellow zones were under surveillance.
These included two villages in Nakae, seven villages in Phonsavang Tai, eight in Dongdamduan and eight in Latxavongxay.
A Vientiane Times reporter attended yesterday's press conference in Savannakhet province, at which the head of the provincial administration office, Mr Khonesavanth Khounnalat, and Deputy Director of the Savannakhet Health Department, Dr Tanom Fongmany, explained the various measures in place to control the virus.
Dr Tanom said dead birds had tested positive for the H5 strain of the virus, while the N1 strain had not yet been confirmed. Authorities had decided not wait for the confirmation, as keeping the virus contained was a priority.
?Around 90 percent of the dead birds had been infected,? he said.
According to people interviewed in the province, poultry owned by four families died in unusual numbers in the villages of Nakae, Dongdamduan, Latxavongxay and Savang Tai in Kaysone Phomvihane district on February 28.
Samples from the dead birds were sent to Vientiane on March 1, and the rest of the poultry owned by the families was culled. Test results released on March 6 confirmed the presence of the H5 strain of bird flu in the dead chickens.
Authorities are now conducting educational campaigns in targeted villages, while hospitals are preparing to deal with any human cases in the red and yellow zones.
Authorities also announced strict new measures to stop the movement of birds to and from the province, particularly the illegal smuggling of birds from neighbouring countries.
?We would also like people to refrain from unnecessarily entering the red zones,? Mr Khonesavanth said.
A team from Vientiane is now working in cooperation with the local authorities to address the problem.
This is the second bird flu outbreak in Savannakhet. The first was in 2004.
Bird flu suspected in Savannakhet
March 9, 2007
Authorities in Savannakhet province announced yesterday that they would cull 35,000 poultry within two days, after samples taken from dead poultry tested positive for the H5 type of bird flu.
They began the culling in four areas of 25 villages in Kaysone Phomvihane district marked as red zones, and 21 villages marked as yellow zones were under surveillance.
These included two villages in Nakae, seven villages in Phonsavang Tai, eight in Dongdamduan and eight in Latxavongxay.
A Vientiane Times reporter attended yesterday's press conference in Savannakhet province, at which the head of the provincial administration office, Mr Khonesavanth Khounnalat, and Deputy Director of the Savannakhet Health Department, Dr Tanom Fongmany, explained the various measures in place to control the virus.
Dr Tanom said dead birds had tested positive for the H5 strain of the virus, while the N1 strain had not yet been confirmed. Authorities had decided not wait for the confirmation, as keeping the virus contained was a priority.
?Around 90 percent of the dead birds had been infected,? he said.
According to people interviewed in the province, poultry owned by four families died in unusual numbers in the villages of Nakae, Dongdamduan, Latxavongxay and Savang Tai in Kaysone Phomvihane district on February 28.
Samples from the dead birds were sent to Vientiane on March 1, and the rest of the poultry owned by the families was culled. Test results released on March 6 confirmed the presence of the H5 strain of bird flu in the dead chickens.
Authorities are now conducting educational campaigns in targeted villages, while hospitals are preparing to deal with any human cases in the red and yellow zones.
Authorities also announced strict new measures to stop the movement of birds to and from the province, particularly the illegal smuggling of birds from neighbouring countries.
?We would also like people to refrain from unnecessarily entering the red zones,? Mr Khonesavanth said.
A team from Vientiane is now working in cooperation with the local authorities to address the problem.
This is the second bird flu outbreak in Savannakhet. The first was in 2004.
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