EGYPT - Kuwait press: bird flu in Cairo and Sohaj

[Sharpe]

http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.as...en&DSNO=901404

HLT-EGYPT-BIRD FLU Egypt braces for bird flu comeback CAIRO, Sept 2 (KUNA) -- Egypt has anew raised the level of preparedness to confront possibilities of bird flu comeback especially after four new cases were reported in Cairo and Sohaj governorates. Health Minister Hatem Al-Jabali told reporters Saturday that a number of hospitals have been put on full alert ahead of the start of the bird migration season. He added that joint teams from the ministries of health, environment, agriculture and venereal disease department have been formed to detect suspicious bird flu cases. He said that random samples would be taken from birds in various villages and farms in order to contain spread of the disease. Al-Jabali warned against inappropriate slaughter of birds and advised those concerned to take all necessary preventive measures in this respect. (end) bna.

[Theresa42]

I can't tell at all if they're talking about human cases or poultry cases.

Google-translated from Arabic:

After the appearance of four cases of bird flu: The proclamation of a state of emergency in different areas of health and the prevention of dealing with live birds
September 03, 2006

Sana, Mustafa wrote: Dr Hatim al-Jabali, minister of health and head of the ministerial committee on bird flu declaration of a state of emergency in different areas of health units and hospitals to see the injured bird flu at the republic level. Dr Rahman Shahin, spokesman of the ministry. The intensification of the work of the emergency rooms in different areas of health to monitor bird flu pandemic and the continuation of the analysis of samples of the birds and household farms and Almkhalten bird. The spokesman noted that the re-emergence of avian influenza virus in the last two days does not mean dangerous but confirms that the virus does not leave the country and that the resurgence of the disease as long as there is a list of dealings with live birds.

The spokesman asked the citizens to observe caution in dealing with live birds and the birds slaughtered in the massacres governmental organizations operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture's veterinary sector. The spokesman stressed the need for transparency in the declaration of the existence of injuries poultry or human avian influenza to quickly deal with health and preventive action within hospitals Viral Unit of the Ministry of Health clinics and chest diseases to ascertain the presence of injuries after obtaining the results of that analysis pw take them preventive Chambers of avian influenza in different areas of health at the republic level.

http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.p...0862c1904e2b66

[Theresa42]

Google-translated from Arabic:

Health / Egypt / flu / ready
Egypt lifted the degree of preparedness to face new prospects for the return of influenza infections

Birds Cairo-9-2 (KUNA) -- Egypt decided to raise the degree of preparedness to face new prospects for the return of the avian influenza infections, especially after the emergence of four new cases in Cairo and the governorate of Sohag in Upper Egypt. The Minister of Health Dr. Hatem Al-Gabali, in a statement to journalists today that he was lifting the state of readiness hospitals Viral and chest at the level of governorates of the republic by 100%. He added that it had been a lifting of the state of emergency in the centers monitor epidemics and increasing epidemiological surveillance sites of disease avian flu allocation of the site in each governorate season, especially with the start of the migration of birds. The mountain has been formed joint teams from the ministries of health, environment, agriculture, veterinary medicine and other work actively to monitor all the provinces where they are a random sampling of birds home villages and farms in order to know the epidemiological situation and the extent of the disease spread. He emphasized that the task of the Commission also early detection of any injuries and dealing with the execution of birds in the infected patient is in the vicinity of square kilometers and up Almkhalten of these birds, at the directives of the Supreme Committee for the fight against avian flu. He warned of the mountain way of dealing properly others to the slaughter of birds and the prospects for transmission of the disease and asking each of them to slaughter to take preventive action, holding the Christians to wear gloves.

http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.as...ar&DSNO=901380

[Sharpe]

It is clear that after a brief semi-lull between May and August that bird flu is on the move again. There have been hints in the past few weeks that bird flu was reentering the Middle East, such as the suspected cases in southeastern Turkey, the ducks dying in Cyprus, the rumored cases in northwestern Iran, and now this report out of Egypt. The coming two-three months may be quite dramatic, not only for Africa and Europe, but also for India and likely North America. India especially will be the place to watch the closest, for not only are there multiple strains of HP H5N1 circulating through the subcontinent affecting human and beast alike--recall that this is where the most deadly H5N1 strain (Qinghai) emerged, but new variants from Africa, Indonesia, Indochina, Siberia and China will all be entering the subcontinent at pretty much the same time. Much of the world's news will likely be suppressed, but enough bits and pieces will come out that it may come as quite a surprise for a lot of people.

[Theresa42]

Sounds like it must be 4 new outbreaks in poultry in Egypt...

Egypt reports new bird flu case in poultry
Sept 03, 2006

CAIRO (AFP) - The H5N1 strain of bird flu has been reported in a domestic poultry farm in southern Egypt, the first time the highly pathogenic virus was detected in the country in months.

The new case was reported in the village of Al-Rakakna, in the Sohag province, some 490 kilometres (305 miles) south of Cairo, a statement from the agriculture ministry said Sunday.

All poultry on the farm was slaughtered and tests were under way to check that none of the people who had been in contact with the infected animals were contaminated.

The last human case of H5N1 reported in Egypt dates back to May.

Out of the 14 human cases of avian influenza that have been reported among Egyptians since mid-March, six turned out to be fatal and eight people recovered after being treated with the drug Tamiflu.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060903...t_060903134120

[Jeanne Hugo]

Egypt will be employing an aggressive program to control poultry disease using accepted industry practices including de-population of existing flocks and re-population with disease free stock.

[Sharpe]

The 4 cases are not necessarily poultry cases. The talk in the first two articles was all about hospital emergencies. They may just now be looking around for infected poultry and finding them consequently, just like they do in Indonesia. Anyway, we'll have to see. They're not submitting mandatory OIE reports or anything right now, so it's unclear what exactly is going on.

[AlaskaDenise]

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/20...04_299334.html

UPDATED: 08:20, September 4, 2006

Egypt reports new bird flu case among fowl

The Egyptian Agriculture Ministry on Sunday confirmed a new case of H5N1 bird flu among fowl in Sohag Governorate, some 400 km south of Cairo, the official MENA news agency reported. The ministry said in a statement that a sample taken from birds in various villages and farms in Sohag was tested positive for the deadly avian virus. This has been the first case of bird flu among fowl since July 5 when Egypt reported the last case after the outbreak of the epidemic on Feb. 17. Necessary measures have been taken to cull birds in surrounding areas, according to the statement. The ministry has also taken samples from some 20 people who were in close contact with infected birds, it said, adding all samples taken within the past period from farms or chicken pens were tested negative for the virus. Egypt found the first bird flu case in dead poultry on Feb. 17, and the virus then spread to 20 governorates of the country's 26 in total. The populous country reported first human bird flu case on March 18. Since then, it has reported 14 human cases, of which six died and the rest recovered. The latest deadly human case was reported on May 18 in Minya governorate, some 220 km south of Cairo. Source: Xinhua .

[HenryN]

Four Bird Flu Cases Among Poultry Registered in Egypt

4 September 2006 | 13:49 | FOCUS News Agency

Cairo. Four bird flu cases among poultry were registered in the southern part of Egypt and in the capital Cairo, Europa Press informs citing an announcement of the Egyptian Health Ministry. Four people with symptoms of the deadly disease have been admitted into hospital in the Sohag province but after tests were carried out it was concluded they are not infected with the deadly H5N1 strain at all.

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n95237

[HenryN]

New cases of bird flu detected in domestic fowl in Egypt
The Associated Press
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2006

CAIRO, Egypt New cases of domestic fowl with bird flu were found in southern Egypt and Cairo last week, the Health Ministry said Monday, the first new cases to be reported in months.

Health Ministry official Amr Qandil said four people suspected with symptoms of bird flu in the southern province of Sohag were tested negative and discharged from hospital.

The new cases of birds with the lethal H5N1 strain of the virus were found in a village in Sohag, 345 kilometers (215 miles) south of Cairo, on Tuesday and in Cairo on Thursday. All the birds in the areas nearby were culled.

Six people have died of bird flu in Egypt since the disease broke out in the country in early March.

Qandil said the Health Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry have been making preparations to combat the disease in case it returned to the country with the new birds' migration season starting at the end of September.

Bird flu ravaged poultry farms in Asia in late 2003. It also jumped to humans killing at least 141 people worldwide. Most human deaths have been traced to contact with sick birds.

Experts fear the bird flu virus may mutate into a form that can easily spread among people, possibly sparking a pandemic.

http://www.iht.com/bin/print_ipub.ph...t_Bird_Flu.php

[HenryN]

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/09...1_Egypt_2.html

[Harriet]

The Egyptian Agriculture Ministry on Sunday confirmed a new case of H5N1 bird flu among fowl in Sohag Governorate, some 400 km south of Cairo. The ministry said in a statement that a sample taken from birds in various villages and farms in Sohag was tested positive for the deadly avian virus. Necessary measures have been taken to cull birds in surrounding areas, according to the statement. The ministry has also taken samples from some 20 people who were in close contact with infected birds, it said, adding all samples taken within the past period from farms or chicken pens were tested negative for the virus.

National Association of Radio-Distress Signalling and Infocommunications,
Havaria Emergency and Disaster Information Services

http://visz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert.php?lang=eng

[HenryN]

Bird flu re-emerges in Egyptian poultry after lull
04 Sep 2006 16:27:32 GMT
Source: Reuters


By Cynthia Johnston

CAIRO, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Egypt has detected four new cases of bird flu in poultry, the first infections found in two months of a disease that has killed six people in the country this year and wracked its poultry industry, officials said on Monday.

Three of the cases were found late last week in so-called "backyard", or domestically bred, poultry in the Egyptian capital while a fourth was detected in a village near the southern city of Sohag, an agriculture ministry official said.

The cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus were the first detected in birds in Egypt in roughly two months. Egypt has had the largest cluster of human bird flu cases outside of Asia.

No human cases have been reported since May.

"It is significant," Hassan el-Bushra, regional adviser for communicable diseases surveillance at the World Health Organisation, said of the new poultry cases. "It tells us that the virus is still circulating."

Bird flu infected 14 Egyptians, killing six, between March and May after the virus first surfaced in Egyptian poultry in February.

The outbreak caused panic in Egypt, where chicken is a major source of protein and where poor families frequently breed chicken domestically in cities and rural areas to supplement their diet and income.

Chickens on rooftops may be particularly susceptible to catching the virus from infected migrant birds, which fly along the densely populated Nile valley during migration, experts have suggested.

RISK FOR HUMANS EXISTS

The new bird flu cases found in poultry mean that there is still a risk of human cases in Egypt, but a large outbreak was less likely to take hold or spread so long as Egypt continues to vaccinate poultry, the World Health Organisation's Bushra said.

"The risk is going to be much less than what we had before, but it is still there," Bushra told Reuters, adding Egypt had a more than adequate supply of Tamiflu, an anti-viral medication thought to be the best way to fight bird flu in humans.

"It's not going to be the same ... If the virus emerges again, it wouldn't spread rapidly because the poultry would be vaccinated. It may come to a dead end," he said.

The vast majority of Egyptian commercial poultry flocks have been vaccinated, while 20 percent of domestic birds had received vaccines, the agriculture ministry official said.

Most of the people infected in Egypt became ill after coming into contact with "backyard" birds, officials said. Egypt has culled 30 million birds since February to contain the virus.

An official from the Food and Agriculture Organisation said the expected onset of cooler weather in the autumn could still cause a flare-up of cases in poultry, and urged increased surveillance accompanied by a fair compensation scheme.

"The weather is getting colder ... It might flare up the situation. The virus likes colder weather," said Talib Ali, FAO's regional officer for animal health.

Two separate officials said the onset of warm weather, combined with Egyptian government measures, may have helped keep the virus at bay during the summer months.

Officials said Egypt detected the four new poultry cases during a surveillance and testing campaign, stepped up in recent weeks, that included random checks on domestic poultry.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L04432895.htm

[Niko]

I don't believe there is any new information in this article, but it is a good wrap-up of the latest news (this is a weekly publication)...I did find it interesting that an unusually strong strain of FMD started in March - the same month that Egypt reported it's first human case of H5N1.

Danger in the air
Reem Leila reports on a new threat of bird flu

Bird flu is again in the air. Health officials say the virus, which reached the nation a few months ago, causing widespread panic and damage to the poultry industry, has been detected anew in four areas across the nation. One case was reported at a poultry farm in the village of Al-Rakakna, in Sohag governorate, some 490 kilometres south of Cairo. Three other cases were discovered in three areas of the capital's suburbs -- Al-Matariya, Hadaiq Al-Qubba and Nasr City.

Infected poultry were found in five homes and were immediately slaughtered. All poultry found in the infected farm have also been culled. Health officials have tested individuals who were in direct or indirect contact with the infected birds. All tested negative.(Human)

Abdel-Rahman Shahin, spokesman at the Ministry of Health, said that 16,000 samples were taken from 1,037 neighbouring villages this week to be tested for the deadly avian virus. "Unfortunately, 25 sites have been found positive," Shahin said.(Poultry)

This has been the first case of bird flu among fowl in nearly four months. Egypt reported its first human bird flu case in March. Since then, the deadly H5N1 strain has spread to 20 of Egypt's 26 governorates. Fourteen people have been infected; six have died while the remainder were treated with Tamiflu. The last human case of H5N1 was reported in May, in Minya in southern Cairo.

Bird flu has affected several countries and caused substantive damage to the poultry industry in many Third World nations. Most of these countries are bracing themselves for another spread of the disease with the autumn immigration of birds.

According to Talib Murad Ali, the Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) regional officer for animal health, Egypt has been hard hit in economic terms by the spread of the avian flu virus. Its poultry industry once attracted LE17 billion in investments, and supported almost 2.5 million people. Now, there is no market for its produce. "Worldwide poultry accounts for about 20 per cent of the animal protein consumed. But in Egypt the figure is 45 to 50 per cent. Poultry is now a third of the price of red meat. It is the only protein to which the poor have access to," says Ali.

Poultry expert Abdel-Ghaffar Youssef says the global buzz around bird flu has led most Arab countries to refrain from buying poultry from Egypt. Egypt used to export 180 million one-day-old chicks, and 500,000 mature fowl annually. Today, these figures have drastically decreased. It is estimated that the poultry industry has already sustained losses of LE1.25 billion, and up to one million employees have been laid off.

According to Shahin, the Ministry of Health was preparing itself for a new flu onslaught. Accordingly, it has updated its plan to contain the spread of the virus which reportedly could gain strength this time around. Some 9,000 employees at the Health Ministry and concerned authorities have been trained on ways to fight the virus. "A nationwide plan has already gone into effect to contain the virus. Clothing and equipment to shield the officials from the virus have been distributed," Shahin said. A specialised centre at the Ministry of Health is following up the developments. "Stocks of Tamiflu have been increased. Some 2.4 million bottles of the drug are being distributed to 118 hospitals in Egypt," he added.

Ahmed Tawfiq, head of the Egyptian Veterinary Medical Service (EVMS), says his organisation is already working with the Ministry of Agriculture in a wide-ranging campaign to vaccinate poultry against avian flu. Specialised committees are being formed to inspect chicken farms in Egypt and take samples to guarantee that the vaccination programme is being followed properly. "Poultry breeders and farmers are also provided with protective clothing and equipment," Tawfiq added.

Meanwhile, reports of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) infections among cattle have been on the rise. FMD is a highly contagious and potentially deadly virus that mainly affects cattle and sheep. Thousands of cattle have been infected with FMD in some of Egypt's governorates. According to a report issued by the Land Centre for Human Rights, the disease threatens an estimated 2,892,000 cows and 2,410,000 buffaloes, in addition to 3,700,000 sheep which makes up all of Egypt's livestock for this year.

Although FMD is a relatively constant feature of farm life, the disease has struck Egyptian cattle with unusual strength. "Usually, FMD doesn't form a real threat despite its continuous existence," said Sami Taha, a member of Egypt's Veterinarians' Syndicate. "The strain this time is harsh, and cattle across several governorates have been dying of the disease."

Veterinary specialists are worried they will not be able to cope with the new strain of the disease. Taha said Egypt, which is now fighting avian flu across the country, reported the first wave of FMD in March.

Many infected animals with FMD die. Only a few recover but the disease often leaves them debilitated.

Veterinarians say that technically speaking FMD is an easily contained disease. However, they quickly add that the limited budget allocated to combat FMD could prove to be a challenge, especially in case of a pandemic. "We have significant expertise in the veterinarian community to deal with a potential outbreak," said Taha. "But we lack the required funds to accomplish maximum efficiency."

Humans do not contract the virus and it does not transmit from animals to human beings but an outbreak could drastically affect the local cattle industry and damage the national economy, Taha warned.

Tawfiq believes that FMD does not pose a real threat to Egypt's livestock since the required vaccines are available in excess. "The vaccines are now being distributed to farmers and the EVMS is monitoring the vaccinations at a nationwide level," he added.

A new outbreak of bird flu and widespread FMD have impacted the supply and demand mechanism of poultry and meat. This is a concern for the government especially with the advent of the month of Ramadan which is typically marked by a high level of poultry and meat consumption. Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Trade Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid have both confirmed plans to widely export meat and poultry to make sure that by Ramadan, expected to start on 23 September, the market will not be short and prices will not be too high.

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/811/eg3.htm

[Theresa42]

Machine-translated from Arabic:

Emergencies in the hospitals for the confrontation of bird flu
Sept 13, 2006

The highest committee of the bird flu declared with the presidency of doctor Hatem the mountain the Minister of Health the declaration of the maximum state of emergency in the hospitals and the departments of the chest diseases and the fevers in the health units for the confrontation of the danger of the bird flu. Doctor Abdul Rahman Shahin the spokesman of the ministry stated that the cabinet meeting yesterday confirmed the cooperation continuation with ministries the agriculture, the environment and the governorates to make sure of the provision of the safe measures for the recession of disease.

The meeting revealed the appearance of 19 [should read 9] foci injured by the bird flu virus in the farms and the house birds in the governorates. Also the committee confirmed tightening the sanctions to the violators with the transfer of the alive birds from side to side after the provision of the automatic massacres in the place of the presence of birds and near the houses in the villages.

Abaza's secretary the Minister of Agriculture declared through the the meeting of the vaccination of all chicks and the alive birds in all the governorates through departments the veterinary medicine and the provision of the protective serum against the virus of all of the dealers with the birds and the protection are from the spread of virus.

And the Minister of Agriculture confirmed the disposal of all of the new foci and cleansing the places by the insecticides and the assurance of being free the place from the virus finally.

Maged George the Minister of Environment declared through the the meeting of the preparation of the safe cemeteries in all of the governorates for the safe getting rid of birds injured by the influenza and training all workers in the field of the burial of the dead birds without Al Adawi by the virus.

And the ambassador Ayman Al Kaffas the General Information Authority president confirmed the intensification of media campaign for the education from the danger of bird flu and the guidance of housewives on the dealing with the house birds.

http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.p...f9935e10106390

[Sharpe]

It's amazing how the news can change in a week. I mean, compare, the below two statements 10 days apart. Let me just say, guys and girls, the situation in Africa is not looking good right now, and it is likely mirrored in other targets of Siberian bird migration like India and Europe--though not being confirmed. Last year, we started getting hints that bird flu had arrived in Africa on October 9th as seen by the below quote of mine, but it was not confirmed officially until January or February. It is only September 12th, and new breakouts are already occurring in the Nile River Valley again, probably from reintroductions.

Originally Posted by vaffie

On October 9th, it was confirmed that farms in the Benghazi area of northeastern coast of Libya had bird flu, according to govt documents obtained by the Libyan media.

On October 18th, dead birds and eels were reported at an important migratory bird lake in northeastern Algeria.

Beginning in October and continuing for a couple months, several hundred camels died in northeastern Mali on the border with Algeria for unknown reasons. Being investigated. No further information.

Around October 20th, cormorants and a buzzard were found dead on the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Simultaneously, government officials banned all live poultry sales and said poultry raising was now illegal--eat em or lose em.

On October 23rd, Al Anbaa news reported 40 dead birds in southern Kuwait coast from possible bird flu.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/story.a...=en&DSNO=781113

October 25th had the first report from southern Yemen: "Large numbers of chicken perished in south Yemen triggering fears bird flu, reports said Monday. The Daily al-Ayam reported an unidentified disease is spreading quickly among birds in the province of Kabita, and cats and dogs that ate the dead birds also perished. The paper said sick chickens stopped eating and […]" (http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2005/10/).

On October 27th, chickens died suddenly in Hora in the Northern part of the Negev Desert. Investigation was made into it, but no further information given.

On October 30th, on the island of St. Helena off the coast of South Africa, 68 chickens in three different parts of the island died suddenly--"all with the same symptoms" (not described). Photographs were sent to South Africa for an explanation--nothing further has been heard about it either from South Africa or St. Helena.
http://www.falklandnews.com/public/...=3543&source=11

September 2nd: Egypt has anew raised the level of preparedness to confront possibilities of bird flu comeback especially after four new cases were reported in Cairo and Sohaj governorates.

September 12th: The highest committee of the bird flu declared with the presidency of doctor Hatem the mountain the Minister of Health the declaration of the maximum state of emergency in the hospitals and the departments of the chest diseases and the fevers in the health units for the confrontation of the danger of the bird flu....
The meeting revealed the appearance of 19 foci injured by the bird flu virus in the farms and the house birds in the governorates.

[Theresa42]

Statement of the Supreme National Committee to Combat Bird Flu, 12/9/2006

The Ministerial group established to combat the spread of Avian flu, chaired by the Minister of Health convened yesterday evening (11/9/2006) and reviewed measures taken to prevent the spread of the virus among poultry stocks and reduce opportunities of human infection. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Health.

The Committee noted the following

1. There have been no [new] cases of human infection. Testing was done on 18 specimens taken from persons who had been in contact with dead birds or showed symptoms of disease. All results were negative for Avian Flu.

2. The plan of confronting the disease was screened by all the participating ministries to implement the committee's decisions taken on last February 18, 2006 for banning the selling or slaughtering of live birds in the shops and the transferring among governorates.

3. According to a certain plan, the birds should be vaccinated for free, as there are 5 million doses of the vaccines distributed and another 10 million on their way.

4. There are 9 positive cases were detected among birds in the governorates of Sohag, Cairo, Damietta and Giza during August 5 to September 10, 2006.

5. Minister of Environment pointed out that a decision of organizing the hunting season was issued, as samples of the immigrating birds will be analyzed starting its arrival.

6. The committee reviewed the special preparations by the media awareness. State Information Service Chief confirmed that there are three old references will be broadcasted periodically besides other new three references. The media campaign is integrated to include also any case of human infection. The SIS chief also added that the media campaign will focus on the young breeders, as 20.000 pamphlets will be printed to include instructions and method of combating the virus.

- The committee necessitated the intensification of these references during the month of Ramadan, particularly in the high-viewing programs

- The committee urges citizens to commit cautiously when dealing with the live birds.

http://birdflu.sis.gov.eg/html/flu0102200.htm

[Mellie]

Thanks for staying on top of it Theresa!

Mellie

[hawkeye]

If I recall correctly, a while back (last year) I saw a film on PBS, in which I believe, Nabarro was speaking as well as others, and the main point was something along the lines of "when you start seeing infections in Africa, start preparing."

I'll see if I can find a link to the video

-hawkeye

[Shannon]

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Theresa. In thanks I am sending you a big box of chocolate covered elderberies.

Hawkeye, that sounds like a good thing to track down. Good luck.

[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by Shannon

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Theresa. In thanks I am sending you a big box of chocolate covered elderberies. .......

Yes!!! I believe she never sleeps.

.