Taiwan - HP H5N2, H5N3 and H5N8 avian flu spreading across the country - 674 farms infected

[Gert van der Hoek]

H5N8 avian flu virus found in 3 more fowl farms in Taiwan

[FONT=&#24494]2015/01/12[/FONT]

[FONT=&#24494]Taipei, Jan. 12 (CNA) Geese at three more fowl farms in Chiayi County were found Monday to be infected with a subtype H5N8 virus which will lead to avian flu, according to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine under the Council of Agriculture Monday.[/FONT]

[FONT=&#24494]All the farms will be disinfected after their geese have been destroyed, according to the bureau.[/FONT]

[FONT=&#24494]This brought to nine the number of fowl farms infected with the virus in Taiwan.[/FONT]

 

[sharon sanders]

Taiwan - Media report: 38 poultry farms infected with bird flu H5N8 H5N2

38 games fall bird flu epidemic Huiren Li questioned the occult


Updated: 2015-01-12 07:15 PM



[NTD Asia Pacific TV January 12, 2015 Reuters bird flu epidemic continues to expand, according to information the anti-seizure Bureau, Taiwan currently has 38 poultry farms infected determine, documentary filmmaker Huiren Li questioned anti CIQ occult disease , Taiwan's epidemic prevention system has collapsed.

Avian influenza chain explosion, just a few days, Taiwan has 38 poultry farms fall, bird flu has been filmed with the theme of the documentary "can not poke secret" director Huiren Li , questioned government units occult disease . Director Huiren Li: "In the end of last year after another began to have heard a lot of talk about the industry that they begin to die, but the proof is when it CIQ inspection body, January 9, at the end of last year to now more than one month, you January 9 before the specimen. " Prevention and Quarantine Bureau believes in all parts of the monitoring system, if the farm is abnormal death, should know the first time, but the anti-seizure Bureau expressed at the first time to do the disposal, there is no hiding. Trend in anti-seizure Secretary: "Ye central place, nor in the above immunization absolutely no such thing occult disease, because the occult, including the industry and we do not want him to conceal, is definitely going to be informed at the first time." The Avian influenza, H5N2 and H5N8 Taiwan emergence of new strains of two new, novel H5N2 infection object chickens, ducks, geese, and all will be infected with the death of the world's first see, as H5N8 because the protein structure, with the transmission of H5N1 will be similar in Last year Britain from Europe, Germany, the Netherlands, righteousness, to Asia, Japan, South Korea, have appeared epidemic spread of the virus in the event of Taiwan, people's health is worrisome. Director Huiren Li: "You're in the surrounding country, you should be very cautious at every step, the result you are not ah we see that it's peripheral nerves, not to speak it in the peripheral nervous matter, the whole epidemic prevention system is crash!." now There appear to know the epidemic: Pingtung a duck, geese and a slaughterhouse 6, Tainan a breeder geese and a field, Chiayi 3 and 5 geese goose field, Yunlin 10 geese and goose field 9 Changhua a geese farm, totaling five counties in Taiwan, 38 poultry farms fall of more than 140,000 infected poultry. Anti-seizure Secretary Trend in: "That this wave of the epidemic is actually very fast to hope that in the shortest possible time and be able to put this epidemic, control and even extinguished." Anti CIQ said it will cooperate with the Ministry of Health, Welfare When do people may be infected with the monitoring, but also appeal to the poultry industry once again found to have anomalies, take the initiative to inform the first time, to avoid the epidemic continues to expand. NTD Asia Pacific TV Chen Huiyao, Chen Hui dies, Huang Tingfeng Taiwan Taipei


http://www.ntdtv.com/xtr/gb/2015/01/13/a1168421.html

 

[sharon sanders]

[h=2]COA: Avian flu outbreak notification poultry farms increased to 65[/h] [h=3]2015-01-13 10:07:01 United Daily News reporter Chen Haoyan ╱ immediate reports[/h]
This wave of bird flu continued to spread, COA vice chairman Wang Zheng Teng said this morning that there is currently a suspected outbreak of ducks and geese notification field, from 38 games yesterday to 65 games, has yet to determine whether a new county City also dart until later 11:30 press conference and then announce, may also announce a new diagnosis test results. For effective prevention, Wang Zheng Teng said that if the ducks and geese in the field confirmed H5N8 virus infection and a new H5N2 virus, have notified the aquaculture industry, can get compensation, sick ducks and geese subsidy price Liu Cheng, health but also be slaughtered ducks and geese , it is fully subsidized.However, if the industry does not conceal informed, not only the loss of unpaid, will be open penalty ranging from 50,000 to 1,000,000 yuan.

http://udn.com/news/story/1/639076

 

[sharon sanders]

The first detection of H5N8 Yunlin see geese also see ducks in the first dart

2015-01-13 13:19:02 United Daily News reporter Liu Mingyan ╱ immediate reports


Yunlin bird flu continued to spread, the current notification submission Yunlin 34 games, including a Muscovy field is already 3000 deaths Yunlin first case, the rest are goose farm. 4 games the day before the first wave of confirmed case of H5N2 novel goose farm bird flu this morning, the Council of Agriculture announced a further seven games goose games, six games is H5N2, is a first discovered in Yunlin of H5N8, Yunlin County Government should not be due to medical personnel, will be the center for help.

http://udn.com/news/story/1/639431

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Bird flu cases found at 14 different sites in Taiwan



Zane Kheir
The China Post
Publication Date : 13-01-2015

A total of 14 separate locations in Taiwan reported that they have chickens and waterfowl infected with the new strains of H5N2 and H5N8 bird flu yesterday, according to the Council of Agriculture (COA).

director of animal health Hsu Jung-pin stated that the ministry dispatched workers to disinfect poultry farms, particularly heavily hit ones in Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County.

Kaohsiung City has a total of 490 poultry farms, of which 97 raise ducks and geese, each having stock of approximately 550 birds each.

The Centres for Disease Control stated that there is still no evidence of humans catching bird flu, and that among the 234 farm owners in Yunlin, Chiayi and Pingtung Counties, only 3 have symptoms such as coughing, runny noses and sore throats.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Bird flu outbreak expands to northern Taiwan

[FONT=&#24494]2015/01/13 15:06:36[/FONT]
[FONT=&#24494]
Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) Eleven more farms raising ducks and geese, including two in Taoyuan in northern Taiwan, have been found to be infected with avian influenza, a sign that the virus has spread from southern Taiwan to the north, agriculture authorities said Tuesday.

The latest tally brought to 20 the total number of poultry farms confirmed as being affected by the outbreaks.

Six of the farms are infected with the H5N8 virus, while the other 14 are infected with a new type of the H5N2 virus, according to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine under the Council of Agriculture (COA).

Except for the two in Taoyuan, all of the new additions were in southern Taiwan: one in Changhua County, five in Yunlin County, one in Chiayi County, one in Kaohsiung City and one in Pingtung County, the bureau said.

To date, the outbreaks have affected around 254,418, or 1.89 percent, of the geese and ducks raised in Taiwan, according to bureau figures.[/FONT]

 

[sharon sanders]

Council of Agriculture Livestock Guarding: Avian flu positive peak

2015-01-13 14:58:01




Bird flu out of control, the epidemic had only appeared in goose, duck and egg farms closed Pingtung Dawu Mountain, now Tainan and Yunlin broiler ducks also fall. COA animal health director Cai Xiangrong admits now at the peak of the outbreak of bird flu.

Today, there are 2500 came Tainan white chickens suspected infection H5N8, Tainan City Government held at noon inter-bureau meeting for avian influenza, the Director of the Li-chuen, said animal protection, as of noon today, there are eight poultry farms in Tainan 4400 geese and ducks, suspected infection H5N8, but the COA test units large traffic jam, results have not been released.

LI Chao-chuen, said today that the new notification Madou District of geese and white saline area broiler chickens although white test was negative, but suddenly died suddenly just over 2000. Taoyuan City today informed the epidemic, it is a large garden, each with a geese farm Pingjhen area suspected bird flu, geese are shipped from southern Taoyuan.Although only about four or five deaths per game, but the industry is still active notification submission, inspection reports are not released before the first move controls. Cai Xiangrong said that the current H5N8 could infect chickens, chickens, ducks and therefore strictly prohibited polyculture, raising a variety of farm animals and some now polyculture absolute prohibition of cross-infection, the local epidemic prevention units should also be disinfected comprehensive visit to the fastest speed, hinders new virus continues to spread in the country. As for the compensation package, anti-seizure Secretary Trend in said local governments will be composed of the evaluation committee, according to age and live poultry infected conduct evaluations to complete the anti-seizure Bureau report, will compensate farmers Liu Cheng, in principle, funded by the Agriculture Committee Council and the local government share in half. Trend in an example, if the poultry rearing geese 3000, has died 2000, the final diagnosis culling 1000, the amount of government compensation is limited to 1,000 geese culled diagnosed, so the earlier notification, fewer farmers losses.

http://udn.com/news/story/7547/639619

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201501130024.aspx


Hundreds of geese carcasses dumped in Yunlin amid bird flu scares
2015/01/13 19:54:37

Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) Residents of Sihu Township in the central county of Yunlin were left scared and angry after hundreds of dead geese were found dumped in an irrigation channel Tuesday, inciting a minor panic as avian flu continues to spread throughout the country.

The discovery in the coastal township comes after authorities confirmed Sunday that a new type of the H5N2 virus was found at four goose farms in Yunlin.

County Magistrate Lee Chin-yung said the goose carcasses were retrieved and areas near the irrigation system were disinfected by the afternoon...

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

[h=2]More birds culled as Taiwan battles worst avian flu in 10 years[/h] AFPWednesday, Jan 14, 2015
TAIPEI - A major outbreak of avian flu in Taiwan has spread to 19 more farms with a total of 160,000 birds slaughtered in the island's worst bout of the disease in a decade, authorities said Wednesday.

The number of poultry farms infected with the virus has almost doubled since Tuesday, jumping from 21 to 40. More than 10,000 geese have been killed since Tuesday afternoon.

"We have been adopting stringent measures so that we can limit the further spread of the outbreak as soon as possible," Chang Su-san, head of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, told reporters Wednesday.

She would not specify how many more birds would be slaughtered but said that samples had been taken from another 47 suspect farms where around 340,000 birds are kept.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

ROC Cabinet tackles bird flu outbreak

A COA-overseen local government taskforce carries out an inspection of a poultry abattoir in Yunlin County, western Taiwan. (CNA)

• Publication Date：01/15/2015
• Source： Taiwan Today

A bird flu emergency operations center tasked with managing an outbreak caused by new virus strains H5N2 and H5N8 has been established by the Cabinet, Vice Premier Chang San-cheng said Jan. 14.

Headed by Chang with the assistance of Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Bao-ji and Minister without Portfolio Yeh Shih-cheng, the center is part of the government?s three-tier response to highly pathogenic avian influenza subtypes detected at poultry farms along the west coast of Taiwan.

The first tier comprises the COA coordinating central and local government responses, while the second tier enhances communication between the council and other central government agencies. The third tier is based on holding Cabinet meetings as new developments arise. According to the latest statistics from the COA?s Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, as of Jan. 14 the number of farms with confirmed infections jumped from 20 to 64, with another 31 under observation. A total of 24 farms have culled more than 112,375 ducks, geese and chicken in an attempt to halt spread of the disease.

The bureau said detection of the H5 subtype at a chicken farm in Tainan City indicates that the virus may have crossed from waterfowls to terrestrial birds. Bureau Director-General Chang Su-san said starting Jan. 18, no poultry can be processed at an abattoir without official approval. The new measure follows the end of a nationwide ban on commercial slaughter of domestic waterfowls yesterday.

As the subtypes H5N2 and H5N8 are variants previously unseen in Taiwan, the bureau said they were most likely transmitted through interaction between domestic waterfowls and migratory birds. As of noon Jan. 15, potential infections have been reported in the landlocked county of Nantou in central Taiwan, as well as coastal Changhua, Chiayi, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Tainan, Taoyuan and Yunlin.

To date, no confirmed human cases have been reported and poultry products are still safe for consumption when cooked at 70 C, the bureau said. (YHC-JSM)

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

H5N3 avian flu virus found in Taiwan for the first time

2015/01/16 13:09:52
[FONT=&#24494]
Taipei, Jan. 16 (CNA) A strain of avian influenza virus identified as H5N3 was detected Friday in Taiwan during a widening investigation of a bird flu outbreak on poultry farms around Taiwan, according to animal inspection authorities.

It is the first time that the H5N3 strain was found in Taiwan, according to the Council of Agriculture's Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine.

Since the avian flu outbreak was first reported last week, three new strains of bird flu viruses, including variants of H5N2 and H5N8, have been discovered in Taiwan, the bureau said.

As of 6 p.m. Thursday, 137 poultry farms had been inspected and samples had been collected for laboratory testing. The latest results showed that 101 of the farms were infected, and the H5N3 virus was found at two of them, the bureau said. [/FONT]

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Bird flu detected in Taiwan chickens as more poultry culled

New avian flu strains H5N2 and H5N8 have spread from waterfowl to chickens in Taiwan for the first time, while he number of poultry dead or culled climbed past 650,000 on Monday (Jan 19).

TAIPEI: New avian flu strains H5N2 and H5N8 have spread from waterfowl to chickens in Taiwan for the first time.

The highly pathogenic viruses have infected chicken farms in Pingtung and Changhua counties of southern Taiwan, raising fears that the avian flu outbreak could get out of control.
Based on the latest data released by the Council of Agriculture, 239 poultry farms have been infected since the outbreak on Jan 9. The number of poultry dead or culled climbed past 650,000 on Monday (Jan 19). As the outbreak continues to spread among chickens, geese and ducks, that number is fast approaching 1 million.

 

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Taiwan is now one week four kinds of avian influenza virus experts suspect there are blind spots

At 09:58 on January 19th, 2015 Source: Southeast Network

Video: Taiwan's bird flu epidemic situation is grim Source: CCTV News

According to Taiwan's "China Times" reported on the 18th bird flu broke a chain in Taiwan, causing public panic, the current epidemic prevention measures taken by the unit is still based on a comprehensive culling infected approach appeared denial epidemic spread. But professor of veterinary warning, Taiwan currently has four avian influenza viruses emerge, some of which may recombinant gene into the virus can infect humans, and the announcement of the world need to analyze it as soon as possible.

Taiwan appeared in four avian influenza virus in a week: H5N8, novel H5N2, H5N3 and local H5N2. Where the H5N8 virus is suspected to be brought in by South Korea or large 陆南飞 migratory birds, but one after another of the new H5N2 and H5N3, but worth exploring their origin. Because the new H5N2 and H5N3 outbreaks reported in the international no, but by migratory birds into three different subtypes of avian influenza virus is not likely. (Strait Herald reporter)

http://www.chinanews.com/tw/2015/01-19/6980606.shtml

 

[Pathfinder]

Taiwan bans killing of poultry again as bird flu virus spreads

2015/01/23 21:59:43

Taipei, Jan. 23 (CNA) Taiwan on Friday announced it will ban the killing of chickens, ducks and geese at the nation's 100 slaughterhouses for a second time starting this weekend as an avian influenza outbreak continues to affect more farms.

Chen Bao-ji (陳保基), head of the Council of Agriculture (農委會), said that the ban will last four days this time, unlike last time's two days, and will start at noon on Saturday and continue until noon next Wednesday.
...
Sales of poultry in four wholesale markets in Taipei, Taichung and Fengshan and Gangshan in Kaohsiung will also be suspended.
...
As of 6 p.m. Thursday, the COA has confirmed that 370 fowl farms in eight cities and counties in Taiwan have been infected with various strains of avian flu virus, including a new type of H5N2, as well as H5N8 and H5N3 that had not been found in Taiwan before. More than half a million poultry have been culled at affected farms as the government tries to stem the spread of the virus.

http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aeco/201501230033.aspx

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201501240018.aspx
[h=1]Another chicken farm in Taoyuan hit by bird flu[/h] 2015/01/24 19:32:47
Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) Another chicken farm in Taoyuan has been confirmed as infected with the H5 avian influenza, the city's quarantine authorities said Saturday.

More than 1,000 chickens on the farm have died, and the remaining 22,000 will be culled Sunday, according to Taoyuan's Office of Animal Care and Control.

As of Thursday, 370 poultry farms in eight cities and counties in Taiwan had been confirmed as infected with various strains..

 

[Pathfinder]

Mon, Jan 26, 2015 -

INTERVIEW: Veterinary expert critical of avian flu steps

Three new highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza were discovered in Taiwan this month. Lai Shiow-suey, an honorary professor of veterinary medicine at National Taiwan University, tells Jennifer Huang, a staff reporter for the ?Liberty Times? (the sister newspaper of the ?Taipei Times?), that the government and poultry industry have been negligent in their efforts to combat the flu epidemic.

...
Lai Shiow-suey (賴秀穗): The H5N8 subtype had never before been seen domestically. According to the Council of Agriculture, the ?H5? hemagglutinin genome sequence of the local H5N8 strain is more than 90 percent similar to the one seen in South Korea, and the South Korean subtype shares the same origin with the ones found in Japan and China.
...
What worries me is that H5N8 must have existed in Taiwan for more than three months, and its contact with local viruses must have engendered another series of genetic reassortments.

The new strains of H5N2 and H5N3 that are affecting Taiwan have not been seen in neighboring nations, so it is unlikely that the new strains have their origins outside Taiwan.

The ?H5? hemagglutinin component of the new strains of H5N2 and H5N3 is almost the same as that of the H5N8 seen in South Korea, which suggests the new strains could result from the mutation prompted by the local viruses? contact with H5N8 transmitted from abroad.

The new strains of H5N2 and H5N3 have evolved into a highly pathogenic version of their low-pathogenic subtypes due to the introduction of the highly pathogenic H5N8.
...

The recent subtype has caused a high mortality among waterfowl, with the death rate of geese at about 90 percent. It is obvious that Taiwan is dealing with a highly pathogenic subtype that overshadows anything the nation has ever seen.
...

Every avian flu virus might mutate into a form that could transmit itself to humans. The Ministry of Health and Welfare should therefore carefully monitor the physical conditions of farm staff and epidemic prevention personnel. The ministry should also ensure that no anomalies could go unreported.
...
National Taiwan University [Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine] professor King Chwan-chuen (金傳春) investigated more than 300 employees at a farm where chickens were infected with a known strain of H5N2, and he found that more than 60 people carried the antibody to the subtype, suggesting that human infection with H5N2 is possible.
...

Full text:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2015/01/26/2003610115/1

 

[Pathfinder]

Press Releases

Gene sequence alignment of avian flu viruses shows transmission still limited to poultry; Taiwan CDC continues to closely monitor outbreak situation to ensure health and wellbeing of people in Taiwan ( 2015-01-26 )


In the afternoonof January 23, 2015, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control obtained the genomesequences of the H5N2 and H5N8 viruses from the Council of Agriculture andsubmitted it to the National Influenza Centerfor gene sequence alignment. The resultsshowed that both the H5N2 and H5N8 viruses are of avian origin. Based on the sequence data, the Taiwaneseviruses were identified as closely related to the Japanese, the American, theCanadian, the German and the Republic of Korea H5N8 viruses. Unlike the H7N9 virus, the H5N8 virus doesnot replicate well in mammalian cells and is not as fatal. Although several H5N8 outbreaks have beenreported many countries around the world, no evidence of bird-to-humantransmission has been found.

Taiwan CDC onceagain emphasizes that the H5N2 and H5N8 viruses are currently still limited totransmission among poultry and no bird-to-human transmission has occurred. As fortreatment, the US Centers for Disease Control (US CDC) and the World HealthOrganization (WHO) currently recommend oseltamivir or zanamivir. Taiwan CDC will continue to closely monitorthe development of the outbreaks and the viruses for new mutations in order tofacilitate timely implementation of relevant disease control measures andensure the health and wellbeing of the people in Taiwan.

In response to theongoing avian influenza outbreaks among poultry, Taiwan CDC is monitoringeveryone who has been exposed to the poultry farms where avian influenzaoutbreaks have occurred, including poultry farm workers and public healthworkers, for influenza-like symptoms for 10 days as a precaution. Those who develop influenza-like illness willbe further evaluated and tested for influenza. As of January 24, 2015, a total of 2,906 people are being monitored. Of the people being followed up, 40 peoplehave developed influenza-like symptoms. Specimens have been collected from 28 of them (1 is positive forseasonal influenza, the other 23 are negative and 4 tests results are pending),while the other 12 people are still being monitored for their healthstatus. 76 other people have beenremoved from surveillance.

Taiwan CDC remindspoultry farm workers to take additional preventive measures to ward off infection. If fever or influenza-like symptoms develops,please put on a mask and seek immediate medical attention. Moreover, poultry farm workers must informthe physician of their exposure and job history to facilitate diagnosis andtreatment. The general public is urgedto practice good personal hygiene such as washing hands frequently and puttingon a mask when coughing and take preventive measures such as avoiding directcontact with poultry and birds or their droppings/dead bodies, and consumingonly thoroughly cooked poultry and eggs to prevent infection. For more information, please visit the TaiwanCDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable DiseaseReporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).


Last modified at 2015-01-26

http://www.cdc.gov.tw/english/info....wtreeid=EE0A2987CFBA3222&tid=936418DFF69ED140

 

[sharon sanders]

Avian flu hits more farms
Wed, Jan 28, 2015
Avian influenza has been confirmed on another 19 poultry farms, bringing the total number of farms affected nationwide to 487, the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said yesterday.

more...

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2015/01/28/2003610278

 

[Pathfinder]

43,000 chickens culled in Taoyuan on bird flu concerns
2015/01/31 17:07:18

...

As of 6 p.m. Friday, 601 poultry farms in 13 cities and counties had been confirmed infected, according to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine.

More than 1.78 million chicken, ducks and geese from 538 farms had been culled by that time, the bureau said.

http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201501310012.aspx

 

[Pathfinder]

H5 bird flu epidemic may spread in Taiwan

Zane Kheir
The China Post/Asia News Network
Monday, Feb 02, 2015

TAIPEI, Taiwan - The Council of Agriculture's (COA) Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ) emphasised in a public announcement yesterday that recent cold fronts could exacerbate the spread of the H5 bird flu epidemic that has been sweeping the nation.

BAPHIQ also indicated that out of an additional 22 farms that sent in samples, 21 of them tested positive for one of the bird flu strains, making for a grand total of 622 farms that have been infected, according to a report carried by the United Evening News.

Of the new farms, 18 of them are goose farms, two duck and two chicken. A grand total of 3,938,395 birds were inspected throughout the campaign.

As of now, the majority of culled birds are geese. In total, 523 goose farms have been infected, 33 duck farms and 66 chicken farms. The total number of farms targeted for culling rose by 26 for a total of 564 farms. Of the 2,967,376 animals in those targeted farms, 1,935,348 have been slaughtered, according to BAPHIQ.

- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/h5-bird-flu-epidemic-may-spread-taiwan#sthash.BTJ9HTH1.dpuf