Voice Of Iraq: H5N1 Reported in Sulaimaniya Poultry

Sulaymaniyah Governorate  - Credit Wikipedia

 

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Via the Voice of Iraq, we get a report indicating that H5N1 has been detected in `a number of poultry farms’  in Sulaymaniyah, a province in Iraqi Kurdistan along the Iranian border.  Assuming this is confirmed by the OIE, this would be the first time Iraq has reported H5N1 since the summer of 2006.

The use of the word `injuries’ below likely refers to poultry, not humans.  Machine translations such as these often produce syntax-challenged results.

 

 

Kurdistan cultivation announces registration of bird flu infections in Sulaimaniya

Wed May 13 2015 5:46 p.m. | (Voice of Iraq) - Erbil, announced the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kurdistan region, on Wednesday, for the registration of some infections of bird flu in the province of Sulaymaniyah, and while confirming that the situation is under control, stressed the importance of cooperation between government agencies and citizens. said Minister farming region Abdul Sattar Majid at a press conference, today, in Erbil that "after conducting tests on a number of poultry farms in Bermkron area in the Sulaymaniyah turns out the presence of injuries Pfyrus H5N1 (bird flu)," noting that "it was to inform the Council of Ministers is aware of this Injuries. "

Majid explained that "has been the formation of a higher committee of the Ministry of Agriculture, Interior and Health and municipalities in order to limit and control the injuries," asserting that "the injuries recorded in three villages only and under control." He pointed out that "these injuries and serious need to educate citizens." , while stressing "the importance of cooperation between citizens and government agencies concerned." And that "the Supreme Committee decided to form committees at the provincial level to control and limit injuries if they arise," calling on the media to "deal with the issue realistically and objectively and not spreading fear among citizens . "

The World Health Organization defines as the bird flu virus contagious disease of birds (especially water birds such as wild ducks and geese) does not cause, in most cases, in the emergence of any satisfactory marks. And flu viruses can sometimes go to the poultry and cause outbreaks and tent on a large scale. Reports also indicate that some of these viruses were able to penetrate the species barrier and cause diseases or infections is accompanied by clinical symptoms in humans or other mammals. The suffering of the United States of America is currently the spread of the disease, has invaded 16 states until the moment of writing this report. Reports said that the number of HIV-infected poultry in the United States amounted to about 32 million, which has been eliminated and the other waiting for the same fate.

 

Over the past 6 months – in addition to the huge territorial gains racked up by HPAI H5N8 and H5N2 – we’ve seen a huge resurgence in H5N1 activity around the world as well.  

 

Not only has Egypt reported the largest, and longest, outbreak of H5N1 in humans - countries that have not reported the virus in years (i.e. Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Turkey, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, etc.) have reported outbreaks either in poultry, or wild birds.

 

Why HPAI H5 viruses have suddenly taken flight over the winter of 2014-15 isn’t clear, but we’ve not seen this level of bird flu activity since the great H5N1 diaspora of 2005-2006 (see H5N8: A Case Of Deja Flu?).   As summer is historically the `off season’ for avian flu viruses, one can’t help but wonder what kind of fall lies ahead.

 

Meanwhile, there are media reports of additional `suspected’ cases of H5N1 in Turkey as well today.

WHO Statement: No Ebola Cases Detected In Iraq

 

# 9536

 

On New Year’s Eve reports began to emerge that several ISIS fighters in Mosul, Iraq had contracted (and died from) Ebola.  Soon even major media outlets were carrying the story, with some even speculating that ISIS might be experimenting with biological weapons.

 

As you might imagine, this caused quite a stir, even though there didn’t seem to be any real evidence to back up these reports. 

Today the World Health Organization has emailed out the following statement, stating that their investigation showed these reports to be unfounded.

 

NO EBOLA CASES DETECTED IN IRAQ

Baghdad, Iraq (05 January, 2015) - The Ministry of Health in Iraq, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), confirms that there is no suspected case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Iraq as of January 5^th 2015.

On 31 December, 2014, Al-Sabah newspaper, Shafaq news agency and Rudaw online newspaper reported a rumor of EVD cases in Mosul, Ninewa governorate. The news was also relayed through other media agencies in and outside of Iraq.

Following this rumor, the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization investigated the allegations through existing surveillance networks, as well as through contacts with health authorities and medical sources in Ibn Sina Hospital in Mosul. All sources contacted have negated the existence of any suspected cases of Ebola. The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization further confirmed that the laboratory facilities in Mosul do not have the necessary capabilities to diagnose and confirm the Ebola Virus.

The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization remain vigilant and have scaled up surveillance efforts to ensure early detection and safe management of any eventual suspected EVD cases in the country. All necessary precautionary measures are being taken to ensure that effective preventive programmes are in place and that the people of Iraq are provided with all affordable support in case any EVD case is detected. The World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health have taken the following actions:

• Assessments of international entry points have been conducted jointly between the Ministry of Health, WHO experts and Health Cluster partners. It included international crossings and entry points like the International airports and ports.
• The Ministry of Health together with WHO are finalizing the implementation of the assessment mission’s recommendations with a focus on strengthening the EBV preparedness and readiness measures.   
• The surveillance efforts have been scaled up at all health facilities to ensure that any imported or suspected cases are promptly detected.
• A contingency and response plan is currently under development.
• Instructions have been issued to all governorate Directorates of Health (DOH) to be vigilant at points of entry.
• Regular information exchange between WHO and MOH on the status of the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa and in other affected countries is on-going.
• Recommendations were made to DOHs and other health authorities to reactivate taskforces at the Governorate levels for any eventualities.
• Communication materials and awareness raising messages were developed, and will be disseminated to all local media outlets and channels.

Media Reports: Iraqi Quarantined At Dubai Airport Suspected MERS

UAE’s Proximity to Saudi Arabia

 

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Although I’ve found nothing yet on Abu Dhabi Health Authority (HAAD) website, two media outlets are reporting that at least one Iraqi pilgrim, en route home after making a pilgrimage to Mecca, has been detained and quarantined at the Dubai Airport on suspicion of having the MERS virus.

 

From the media reports, it sounds as if more than one person has been quarantined, but only one is symptomatic.  It isn’t clear from the text of this report if the sick individual has actually tested positive for the virus, or is merely suspected to be infected.

Two versions of the same report, first from Al Assabeel.net.

 

Isolate Iraqi pilgrims in Dubai for being infected with Corona

• Saturday, 10 May 2014 15:1

Way detained by UAE authorities on Saturday, pilgrims from the Iraqi city of Mosul, Nineveh province in northern Iraq, to being infected with Corona, and this is the first injury to Iraqis since the onset of illness.

Said Rashid Mohammed, Director of Media Health Nineveh "The UAE authorities in Dubai and placed under quarantine today, pilgrims Iraqis from Mosul to being infected with Corona." He also explained that the pilgrim "aged 65 years, who were returning from Mecca after performing the Umrah,

Upon arrival at Dubai airport Ketranzi before moving to Iraq, was wounded by a state of nausea and some complications, prompting authorities to resuscitate him, and examined, and then advertising it is infected with Corona. " is a virus, "Corona", or so-called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a virus that infects respiratory, and do not yet exist in the world accurate information about the origin of this virus nor its modes of transmission, as there is no vaccine and preventative or antibiotic to treat it.

 

And this report from Alqurtas news.

 

The first injury to Iraqis as "Corona" ... isolate pilgrims in Dubai for viral infection

Saturday 10 May 2014 | 16:03

Detained by UAE authorities on Saturday, pilgrims Iraqi city of Mosul, Nineveh province in northern Iraq, to being infected with Corona, and this is the first injury to Iraqis since the advent of the corona. said Rashid Mohammed, Director of Media Health Nineveh "The UAE authorities in Dubai and placed under quarantine today, pilgrims Iraqis from Mosul to being infected with Corona. "

He also explained that the pilgrim "aged 65 years, who were returning from Mecca after performing the Umrah, and upon his arrival at Dubai airport Ketranzi before moving to Iraq, was wounded by a state of nausea and some complications, prompting authorities to resuscitate him, and examined, the results show having the virus.

WHO: GAR On Polio Spread From Syria – Confirmed Case in Iraq

Syria - Credit Wikipedia

# 8393

 

The discovery last October of a cluster of 22 cases  of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) in  Syria (see WHO: Reports Of Suspected Polio In Syria) – later confirmed to be Polio (WPV1) – set off alarm bells in the International public health community, as only 1%-2% of those infected develop paralysis.

 

Meaning that 22 AFP cases are simply the tip of a much larger viral iceberg, and could involve more than 2,000 additional infections.

 

In November of 2013, the WHO announced an ambitious plan to vaccinate 20 million children in Syria and surrounding countries (see WHO/UNICEF: Polio Vaccination Response For Syria & Neighboring Countries) in an attempt to contain the outbreak.  

 

The recent resurgence of Polio in the Middle East (see WHO: WPV1 (Polio) Risks In Israel Remain Moderate to High)  and in Africa (see WHO: Polio Outbreak In Horn Of Africa), along with the continued threat of infection in the three remaining polio-endemic nations (Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan), has highlighted the fragility of the global polio-eradication efforts.

 

Between civil war in Syria, a war in Afghanistan,  attacks on polio workers in Pakistan (see Pakistan: 3 More Polio Workers Killed), and a deep seated distrust of vaccines in Nigeria, the hoped-for final elimination of this scourge remains elusive.

 

Overnight the World Health Organization posted the following GAR update on Polio in the Middle East, including details on the first case detected in Iraq since the year 2000.

 

 

Update of polio outbreak in the Middle East – ongoing transmission in Syria with international spread

21/03/2014

 

Polio outbreak response in the Middle East is continuing to urgently stop an outbreak affecting the region. As of 20 March 2014, in the Syrian Arab Republic, a total of 37 wild polio virus type 1 (WPV1) cases have been reported:

• 25 cases by the Syrian Arab Republic Ministry of Health, and 12 cases from contested areas (Aleppo, Edleb and Deir Al Zour) not yet reflected in official figures.
• The most recent case had onset of paralysis on 17 December 2013, from Edleb.

Further evidence of regional spread was confirmed this week by notification of a WPV1 case from Iraq, the first polio case in the country since 2000. The case, a six-month old boy from Baghdad who had not been immunized, developed paralysis on 10 February 2014. Genetic sequencing indicates the virus is most closely related to virus detected in Syria.

 

WPV1 was also isolated from the child’s three-year old sister, who did not develop symptoms.

 

Prospects for rapidly controlling this event are positive, as Iraq has been part of a regional Middle East emergency outbreak response since confirmation of polio in the Syrian Arab Republic was received in October 2013. In response, all countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, in a joint resolution, declared polio eradication to be an emergency, calling for support in negotiating and establishing access to those children who are currently unreached with polio vaccination. In Iraq, since October 2013, two nationwide immunization campaigns and three subnational campaigns have been conducted, achieving overall high quality.

Approximately 95 percent of children were reported to have been reached during each campaign, though coverage has varied by area. WHO and UNICEF estimates from 2012 put routine immunization levels in Iraq at 70 percent. Routine immunization levels in Baghdad are estimated to be 81 percent.

As part of outbreak response, efforts have been ongoing to strengthen subnational surveillance sensitivity to ascertain the full extent of transmission, particularly in the Syrian Arab Republic. Subnational surveillance gaps persist, particularly in areas of Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Lattakia, Quneitra and Al Raqa. Surveillance quality has improved in other governorates of north-eastern Syria, including in Deir Al Zour.

Phase 1 of the planned regional outbreak response is now being completed. Since October 2013, 24 supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) have been conducted across the region to reach more than 22 million children with multiple doses, in:

• Egypt (2 nationwide SIAs; 1 subnational SIA); Iraq (2 nationwide SIAs;
• 3 subnational SIAs); Jordan (3 nationwide SIAs); Lebanon (3 nationwide SIAs); Syria (5 nationwide SIAs); Turkey (3 subnational SIAs);
• and, West Bank and Gaza Strip (2 SIAs).

Phase 2 is being launched on 1 April 2014, with nationwide campaigns in:

• Egypt (1-3 April);
• Syria and Iraq (both on 6-10 April) and Lebanon (April), to be followed by further campaigns across the region in May.

In Israel, WPV1-positive samples continue to be detected through environmental surveillance. In total, 186 positive samples have been collected since 3 February 2013, the most recent of which on 16 February 2014.

In West Bank and Gaza Strip, 3 WPV1-positive samples have been detected by environmental surveillance, the most recent of which was detected in January 2013.

No cases of polio paralysis have been detected in Israel, West Bank or Gaza Strip; WPV1 has been isolated from sewage samples only. A surveillance alert remains in place for the region, calling on countries to actively search for additional potential cases in addition to implementing the recommended SIAs with OPV. The risk of further international spread across the region remains high.

WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travellers to and from polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio.

Iraq: Media Report Of Numerous Poultry Deaths

 

 

# 5535

 

 

There are many places in the world where getting accurate and timely reports on outbreaks of infectious diseases – whether they affect animals or humans – can be very difficult.  

 

They may occur in remote regions with poor lines of communication, in areas without modern medical testing or surveillance capabilities, or in nations dealing with armed conflict or natural disasters, or in countries with repressive governments or limited press freedoms.

 

Many places could put a checkmark beside two or more of those conditions.  Which makes it hard to access the true impact of many diseases around the world.

 

One of those places is Iraq, which is still reeling from decades of military conflict and political turmoil.

  

 

Although surrounded by countries that have reported outbreaks of H5N1 in the past (most notably Turkey and Saudi Arabia), we’ve seen relatively few reports of bird flu coming out of Iraq in recent years. 

 

In 2008 we saw Iraq: H9 Bird Flu Detected In Duhok, Reports Of Extensive Bird Culling In Iraq, and KUNA: Bird Flu Detected In Iraqi Birds.  

 

And if you go back to 2006, three human infections were confirmed by the World Health Organization  (see  Avian influenza – situation in Iraq - update 5).

 

 

We occasionally see media reports in the Arab press of bird die offs, sometimes attributed to `bird flu’.  Rarely do we get updates, or laboratory confirmation of the kind of `bird flu’ involved. 

 

Today, we’ve another such report, out of Diyala, Iraq.  It is reported in Arabic by the Independent Iraqi news service Aswat al-Iraq.

 

While the strain of bird flu is not mentioned, based on the `loss of thousands of chickens’, one would assume if this is avian influenza, it is a highly pathogenic strain.

 

There are, of course, other poultry diseases that could account for these kinds of losses, including Newcastle and fowl cholera (Pasteurella multocida). So, until we see some laboratory results, I’d recommend taking the diagnosis of `bird flu’ with a grain of salt.

 

The following was discovered and posted by Sharon Sanders on FluTrackers, and is a machine translation from the original Arabic.   

 

 

The bird flu epidemic threatens thousands of poultry in Diyala (FT link)

28/04/2011 14:54

Diyala / Aswat al-Iraq: Member of the Committee warned services in the province of Diyala on Thursday, a disaster and epidemic led to the deaths of thousands of poultry in the province, as an agricultural source said that the epidemic is widespread in the areas of the Khanaqin.

The Prince Abdul Sajid told (Voices of Iraq) that "the Diyala province, suffer from the spread of bird flu pandemic, which led to the deaths of thousands of chickens in different parts of Diyala, including seven of thousands of chickens in the elimination of Baquba."

 

Talib Abd al-Amir and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock to "show greater attention to addressing the epidemic through the provision of pesticides needed."

 

For his part, said an official source at the Agriculture Department of Diyala, "The flu is widespread in the areas of the Khanaqin (155 km north east of Baquba), noting that" the epidemic is widespread in areas Qrtbp and powerful and led to the loss of thousands of chickens. "

 

He attributed the source of many of the most important reasons for the indiscriminate importation of eggs as well as the poor quality of the vaccines used, he said.

 

Baquba, capital of Diyala province, lies 57 km northeast of the capital Baghdad.

(Arabic Source Link)

 

 

For whatever reason, an English version of this story does not appear to have been published on the Aswat al-Iraq English language page.

 

Obviously we’ll keep an eye on this for future updates.