Thursday, January 26, 2017

Macao Halts Poultry Trade After H7 Detected In Live Market

Credit http://portal.gov.mo
















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Last year we saw Macao shut down poultry sales three times due to detection of the H7N9 virus, and in December a poultry vendor was found to be infected (see Media Report: Macao Registers 1st Human H7N9 Infection) with the virus.

Since then Macao registered their second human infection, in a imported case from Guangdong Province, reported two weeks ago.
Today Macao reports finding live market birds - imported from Gaungdong Province - that test positive for H7 avian flu,  and has ordered a three day halt to the sale of poultry to allow time for culling and disinfection.

As we saw in December, a close contacts - who delivered the poultry to Macao - has already returned to the mainland, and so local authorities will be notified.

This comes just two days before the biggest holiday celebration (Lunar New Year) in Asia, and at a time when poultry sales are at their height.

Two  (translated) statements from the Macao government portal follows.  Note, one of the idiosyncrasies of translating Chinese to English is that the symbol for Macao translates to `Australia'. 



Mainland to suspend live poultry sale for live poultry found in Australia (Macao)

2017-01-26

The HZ avian influenza virus was found in a batch of live poultry samples left at the entrance of the Home Affairs Department on January 26. No live poultry poultry stock had been released from the market. For the protection of public health, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) immediately launched the Avian Flu Strain Program to suspend the sale of live poultry for at least three days from now on and to completely destroy live poultry in the wholesale market and wholesale markets, slaughtering and retailing. disinfection.

The import of live poultry was subject to indoctrination and quarantine. More than 2 000 samples of live chickens were found to be positive for H7 subtype avian influenza virus. In the public interest, the Department has taken immediate steps to block live poultry wholesale from live wholesalers by immediately blocking the wholesaling of live poultry wholesalers, and for keeping about 18,000 live poultry at the wholesale market, including About 14,000 chickens and 4,000 pigeons) were destroyed. And from now on, cease trading of live birds for at least three days. According to the "Avian Flu Emergency Response Plan", the relevant source of the suspected samples will be suspended from the registration area for investigation of the virus source.

The Government will conduct thorough cleansing and disinfection of the three poultry stalls in the wholesale markets as well as the markets in the whole territory of Australia and will issue hygiene guidelines to poultry workers and related staff in Macao and will be vigilant to monitor the health of poultry workers, Pay close attention to the development of the situation. The Department of Health (DH) will provide poultry practitioners in the wholesale market tomorrow (January 27) with health advice and follow up their health status.

An epidemiological survey conducted by the Health Bureau has defined a driver as a close contact. The person is a Mainland resident and has returned to the Mainland. The Health Bureau will inform the Mainland. Other contacts are under investigation.

The Department of Health will continue to maintain close contact with the health authorities in the country and neighboring regions and the World Health Organization (WHO) to monitor the epidemic and the outbreak of Avian Influenza in neighboring areas or Macau through cross-sectoral and public-private partnerships. Prevention and preparedness. Based on past experience, the Health Bureau expects the H7N9 avian flu activity to become more active in the near future and make the following appeal to the citizens of Australia:

    To avoid places where poultry have been sold or displayed in markets such as markets and farms where the recent outbreak of Influenza A H7N9 has occurred;
    Avoid contact with birds and their secretions, excreta; if contact should immediately wash their hands;
    Do not buy or carry unqualified birds;
    Do not eat thoroughly cooked poultry meat, offal, blood products and eggs;
    Pay attention to personal hygiene, often wash their hands;
    Such as fever, cough, dyspnea and other symptoms, should wear masks, as soon as possible medical treatment, and to the doctor details of travel history and animal contact history.

For more information on Avian Influenza A H7N9, please call the Health Bureau's website at www.ssm.gov.mo or call the Health Bureau Infectious Diseases Hotline 2870 0800 during office hours.



 
2017-01-26 
 
It HAD today (January 26) to detect a number of chickens in poultry wholesale market in southern Guangdong, the H7 antigen, epidemiological investigation by the Health Bureau has defined three persons as the batch of poultry in contact, including 1 name freight drivers and two porters, aged between 40-50 years of age. Transportation Drivers Mainland persons have returned to the Mainland, the Mainland Health Bureau will follow up data delivery; another two porters for foreign workers living in Zhuhai, now returned to the Mainland health authorities are trying to contact them, if they are returned to Australia will arrange for medical observation, if left on the ground will notify the local health department to follow up. Health Bureau tomorrow to explain the activities of the poultry wholesale market practitioners to provide health advice and follow-up, their health.

In addition, in response to the current H7N9 avian influenza Mainland active, and the Lunar New Year holidays approaching, a large number of people to return home or travel to the Mainland of years, health authorities urged people to guard against H7N9 avian influenza awareness, avoid contact with live birds or live poultry to places .

Under the notification Mainland health sector, people infected with H7N9 bird flu cases increased significantly over last year, in January this year, has recorded more than 100 cases, H7N9 bird flu severe than before. Since 2013 to date, the national total of more than 1,000 celebrities H7N9 bird flu infection, the mortality of about 30%, according to current statistics, is still the main route of infection by avian successor, human exposure to live poultry or virus-contaminated environment, including have visited live bird markets or in contact with live birds were infected.

Region local infections occurred since September 2016 including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Shanghai, Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Shandong.

Health Bureau will continue and the country and neighboring areas in the health sector, World Health Organization keep in close contact, monitoring of the situation around and Macao, and through cross-sector and public-private cooperation, neighborhood or Macau once bird flu preventive measures appear and preparation. Based on past experience, the Health Bureau of the next period of time H7N9 bird flu activity more active, especially in Australia made the following appeal to the public:
  1. To avoid visiting recent influenza H7N9 bird flu downtown area, there are farms where the sale or display of birds;
  2. Avoid contact with birds and their secretions, excretions; if contact should wash their hands immediately;
  3. Do not buy, carry without quarantine birds;
  4. Do not eat undercooked poultry meat, offal, blood products and eggs;
  5. Note Gerenweisheng, wash hands frequently;
  6. Symptoms such as fever, cough, breathing difficulties, should wear a mask and seek medical advice as soon as possible, and to detailing the history of travel and animal contact history doctor.
For more information on Influenza A H7N9 avian influenza, can be found in the Health Bureau website (www.ssm.gov.mo) or call the hotline 28700800 Health Department infectious disease within Bangongshijian.