Monday, August 26, 2013

China needs to work on it's business model for agricultural areas. The focus should be sanitation. It is important.

By Tim Sandle
Aug 24, 2013 in Health

...In April 2013, Nature News reports,(click here) researchers took throat and cloacal samples from 1,341 chickens, ducks, geese, and other birds. In addition, the scientists collected more than 1,000 fecal and water samples from live poultry markets, wetlands, and farms. The conclusion was that many birds found in live poultry markets were infected. 

Study coauthor Yi Guan, a flu researcher at the University of Hong Kong, told The Guardian that the Chinese authorities should consider closing live poultry markets: "Moving live poultry markets out of urban areas may reduce the frequency of contact between infected birds or contaminated environments and humans, but there is a range of interventions that could reduce the risks of these markets being hubs for transmission and reservoirs of infection." 

 The avian influenza virus H7N9 infected more than 130 people in China, causing more than 40 deaths. Chinese scientists later confirmed that the avian flu virus H7N9 can spread through the air; and it can possibly be transmitted from human to human... 


Health officials along the Cambodian border have been instructed to look out for bird flu. (click here)

Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong said yesterday that the number of victims of the deadly H5N1 virus was reportedly still increasing in the neighbouring country, and the disease could cross the border into Thailand via the transportation of poultry and fighting cocks, as well as the migration of wild birds.

He instructed the Disease Control Department and health officials in Trat, Sa Kaew, Chanthaburi, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani to tighten emerging-disease surveillance, and closely monitor suspicious human illnesses and deaths in their areas.

According to the World Health Organisation, 17 people have been killed by avian flu in six countries around the world including Cambodia so far this year, while 24 people had fallen ill.


By Tim Sandle
Aug 24, 2013 in Science

...A newly discovered strain (click here) of bird flu (the H7N7 virus) has the potential to jump from chickens to mammals, based on a new research study.
The avian influenza virus H7N7 (genetically close to the H7N9 virus), which has been found in Chinese live poultry markets, is capable of making the leap from poultry to mammals. Currently this strain of bird flu, unlike its deadly H7N9 cousin, has only been associated with infected chickens and no natural cases in mammals have yet been detected. To show that an inter-species jump is possible, Chinese scientists conducted laboratory tests where the H7N7 virus, taken from infected chickens, was used to infect ferrets. Ferrets are often used as a model for human flu transmission...

The Bird Flu is spreading and Nepal has taken incredibly determined steps to stop it among it's farmers before it reaches the people. I am wondering if Nepal is in more need of humanitarian relief.

2013-08-25 11:41 PM
Last Updated At: 2013-08-25 11:41 PM

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE (click here)

BHAKTAPUR: The government has culled 9,90,981 fowls and chicks from several farms in Bhaktapur since the bird flu was first confirmed in the district.

According to Bhaktapur District Bird Flu Control Section, 5,23,921 fowls and 1,56,726 chicks have been culled from as many as 439 poultry farms since the government declared Bhaktapur a crisis-hit zone on August 15.

Bird flu was first confirmed in Bhaktapur on July 26. As many as 1,91,063 fowls and 1,19,271 chicks were culled before the district was declared crisis-hit following the flu confirmation.

Chief at the section, senior veterinary Dr Buddhiman Khaling, said 2,89,299 eggs, 49,206 kg chicken feed and 810 kg meat were destroyed as of this evening.

Meanwhile, the government is yet to completely get rid of the disease even 12 days after it targeted to complete its task of ridding Bhaktapur of the flu within the 10 days....