#13,027
After only reporting a single outbreak yesterday in Al-Ahsa, today the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture (MEWA) returns with 7 new cases (3 in Riyadh City & 3 in Al-Asha), Riyadh and one in Jeddah - more than 500 miles from the Capital city.
Not only is the Jeddah case the furthest removed outbreak from the initial detection in Riyadh two weeks ago, the distance between the furthest east and furthest west cases today is well over 700 miles.Exactly how H5N8 managed to get so widely distributed this rapidly across Saudi Arabia (by birds, by poultry trade, or some other factor) will make for a illuminating epidemiological report when we get it.
Registration (7) new cases of bird flu (H5N8)
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, in cooperation with the concerned authorities, continues its efforts to contain the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8). The number of confirmed cases of bird flu among birds in the last 24 hours in the Kingdom was 6, distributed equally in Riyadh city, And Al-Ahsa, all in traditional breeding habitats.
As part of the ministry's daily epidemiological surveys on bird markets in the Kingdom for the investigation and early warning of the presence and control of the disease, positive bird cases have been detected in a bird market in Jeddah.
In the field, the veterinary teams in Riyadh and the governorates of Darma and Mazahmia completed the sanitary disposal procedures of (642,962) birds in (3) poultry production projects previously announced, cleared and completely closed.
In Al-Kharj governorate, the field teams are completing the procedures for the safe disposal of birds, cleaning and prevention in one of the previously announced poultry projects, in addition to a number of fauna in the new areas of infection and the surrounding areas. In the province of Al-Ahsa, field teams in the province followed the procedures for the safe disposal of infected birds in a number of habitats of education in the new areas of infection and the vicinity of the areas where the infection was detected, and the implementation and completion of the emergency plan at those sites. In Qassim, field teams in the region have continued their epidemiological surveillance, sanitary disposal and disinfection procedures on farms and restrooms located in the vicinity of the previously detected area.
On the side of laboratory diagnosis, the number of samples that reached the veterinary diagnosis laboratory in Riyadh till this day reached 2182 samples from the beginning of the outbreak of the disease. The samples were collected on the basis of citizens' reports and epidemiological procedures in the vicinity of infected and non-infected areas to detect any new sick spots early In different regions of the Kingdom.
The Ministry indicated that it continues to receive reports of the disease and to respond to queries related to it via toll free telephone number 8002470000. The number of complaints received during the last 24 hours reached 14, (44) inquiries, bringing the total number of communications and inquiries (907) communication and inquiry since the beginning of the discovery of the disease.
In addition to veterinary awareness and guidance, the Ministry continues its efforts to raise awareness of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) in markets and gatherings in all regions of the Kingdom.
