#11,556
While the summer is usually a time for avian flu reports to dwindle, this year we continue to see outbreaks across much of West Central Africa, Egypt, scattered reports from Vietnam and China, and persistent reports from Iraq (see last week's More Bird Flu Reports From Iraq).
Officially, Iraq hasn't reported any outbreaks since 6 farms were reportedly struck between last December and February of this year (see OIE Final report), but media reports paint a far different picture.
Over the weekend Arabic media has carried a curious mix of official denials of outbreaks, reassurances that the situation is under control, and admissions that tens of thousands of birds have been destroyed (some reports say millions) and additional steps are being taken to curb the epidemic.
Separating the truth from propaganda - or for that matter, from social media rumors - is never easy, particularly in a politically fragile and war torn region like Iraq.
But this morning, a smattering of translated reports coming across the transom.
Health: Bird flu has spread south of Baghdad infected poultry fully executed
BAGHDAD / Baghdadi News / .. said Director of Health OSD Ali al-Tamimi, said on Saturday that bird flu has spread in the unit area south of Baghdad.
Tamimi said L / Baghdadi News /, "The bird flu virus has spread in the unit neighborhood in southern Baghdad governorate in addition to the northern regions of the province of Wasit," noting that "from the h5n1 virus type."
"It has been culled all infected poultry to prevent the spread of the disease to take strict precautionary measures."And this from The Voice of Iraq.
It is said that the Ministries of Health and Agriculture banned poultry in all governorates of Iraq for 3 Achehr.anthy 21 / m
Agriculture continues efforts to limit the spread of bird flu in Wasit, Baghdad
15:20:00 07.17.2016 | (Voice of Iraq) - Baghdad Detection and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Mehdi ligature Qaisi said the ministry continues to implement its plans to reduce the spread of bird flu after it was recorded thousands of cases of the disease in Wasit and Baghdad.
He said al - Qaisi said in a statement that the Ministry of Agriculture plans to set up a specialized symposium this morning in the fossil hand , the presence of a number of specialists in medicine and veterinary number of the Ministry of Agriculture and local government officials, calling for poultry farmers in Wasit province to attend, noting that the seminar is to explain the nature of the epidemic of avian influenza and how to cooperate with the veterinary department to limit its spread.
He said al - Qaisi said that The seminar was preceded by other seminars held for that purpose , the last seminar , which was held in the presence of sections Agriculture and Wasit department managers and representatives from the Veterinary Department yesterday under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Agriculture for livestock adviser Hussein Ali al- Saud. Qaisi was revealed yesterday that the injuries that have been recorded bird flu was There have been thousands of large companies in the capital Baghdad and the region of Essaouira, Wasit province , without mentioning her name , noting that the Ministry of Agriculture has taken swift action to prevent the spread of the epidemic.
And today, again from The Voice of Iraq.
Health Muthanna make up an operations room in anticipation of record bird flu
2:04:19 p.m. 07.18.2016 | (Voice of Iraq) - Muthanna announced health Muthanna circle, on Sunday, for the formation of a private room operations in anticipation of the record any case of bird flu, after the outbreak of the disease in the provinces of Baghdad and Wasit.
The director of the Department of Public Health in the circuit Muslim Abdullah said in a statement that " The operations room will include chock departments such as the environment and the veterinary and the leadership of the police , " he said , adding that " the department has taken several precautionary measures are creating private lobbies to receive any suspected cases as well as provide the necessary treatments and the formation of mobile teams to limit the areas that appear out any injury."
He pointed out that epidemiological situation in the province is under control now after the elimination of cholera injuries over the past months. Abdullah said that the department has to deal seriously with any information it receives from the suspicion of any case in people working in poultry farms or arrivals from other provinces. It is said that the veterinary hospital director in Dhi Qar province, Abdul Jalil Gati, announced today about whether the preservation of any injury to the bird flu epidemic
Although the official narrative continues to be that the situation is under control, and all infected poultry have been destroyed, the number of new reports continues to rise.
Making Iraq a bird flu hot spot to watch this summer.
