Saudi Ministry Of Agriculture Issues Warnings On Camels

 

 

# 8599

Despite an abundance of scientific evidence linking camels to the carriage and likely spread of the MERS virus (see here, here, & here) the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture has spent months either evading or denying the issue (see Saudi MOA Spokesman: Camel Link Unproven, MERS-CoV Is MOH Problem).

 

It was less than two weeks ago when the new Minister of Health suggested people avoid raw camel products  (see Crofsblog Saudi Arabia: Faqih urges avoidance of camel meat and milk), although he gave himself some wiggle room by stating more studies were needed to prove the link.

 

Indicative of the widespread outrage and disbelief among camel owners who insist on the innocence of their stock, we’ve seen numerous stories like the one below in the Arabic press.

 

Saudi farmers defy warnings on camels amid Mers fear

Health authorities have called for caution in dealing with camel meat, milk

By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief Published: 12:42 May 11, 2014   

Image Credit: A Saudi farmer kisses a young she-camel - Credit: Al Sharq

 

For many Saudis, the idea that camels – a beloved national symbol that literally made settlement of that arid region possible – could carry a disease deadly to humans,  is simply unthinkable.   A concept made even harder to accept due to the widespread belief in the healthful effects of camel’s milk and urine in the treatment of disease.

 

Today, in an abrupt about face that is likely to stir considerable controversy , the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture has issued a statement urging breeders and owners to limit their contact with camels, and to use PPEs (masks, gloves, protective clothing) when in close contact with their animals.

 

 

Ministry of Agriculture recommends breeders and camel owners to take preventive measures of Corona Virus

The Agriculture Ministry said in a press release posted on a number of health measures that must be adhered to, including: not to approach direct from camel than it needed with the necessary health precautions and wear respiratory protective masks when dealing with camels, and the need to wash hands with SOAP before and after touching the camels, we recommend wearing protective gloves, especially in cases of birth and dealing with cases of diseased or dead.

It said it was also a costume favorite for use in hazaeralabl and not going out in that outfit outside hangars, as well as not eating meat and camel milk without heat treatment, good cooking of meat, boil milk before drinking, stress rapidly inform the nearest agricultural or veterinary unit in case of any illness in camel or call toll-free 8002470000.

The Ministry of agriculture said in its statement that it had prepared a plan to face this disease in 1433, 2012 in cooperation with FAO and the Ministry of health include a comprehensive survey covers all kinds of livestock to the Kingdom to investigate the epidemic, in particular disease virus SK, where proven relationship between cases of camels, the Ministry initiated a human the hopes of all cooperation with them, indicating that they will publish details of the plan later.

 

 

While an important (albeit, belated) step forward by the MOA, we’ll have to wait to see if these new recommendations are eventually embraced by camel owners, or ignored.

Egypt’s MOA Reacts To MERS-Camel Connection

Photo Credit Wikipedia

 

# 8545

 

Despite the mounting evidence showing that camels are carriers – and likely one of the vectors – of the MERS coronavirus, the Saudi Government has been slow to warm to the idea (see April 4th  Saudi MOA Spokesman: Camel Link Unproven, MERS-CoV Is MOH Problem  and April 14th Saudi Health Minister denies relation between camels, Mers). 

In neighboring Egypt, which only last week saw their first imported case of MERS from Saudi Arabia, we are seeing a much more proactive reaction (see Egypt Ramps Up MERS Surveillance At Local Ports), that according to a report today in Al Gareda, extends to their Ministry of Agriculture as well.

 

It appears that the Egyptian MOA plans to take blood samples from, and tighten the control on the importation and movement of,  `beauty’  (camels) throughout the nation.  This comes just a week after local authorities announced the results of an EID Journal study that found  MERS in  Egyptian camels (see Egyptian MOH Statement On MERS Threat).

 

 

Agriculture announces a State of emergency to prevent the spread of the «CK» with «Interior and defense»

Posted on Monday, April 28, 2014

The Gazette-the Ministry of agriculture and land reclamation, represented by the General Organization for veterinary services, to declare a State of emergency to A "situation", on Monday, after the Health Ministry announced the first case of "Corona".

 

It also decided to take precautionary measures and stricter control procedures in coordination with the ministries of Interior and defense, "on the border to prevent smuggling, in particular of the Sudan through" path ", and the use of satellite images to monitor the movement of animals in these areas.

 

The head of the Central Department of veterinary quarantine in the General Authority for veterinary services, Ministry of agriculture, Dr. Sayed GAD, today signed a protocol with the animal health Research Institute to withdraw samples of beauty from Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti, after the discovery of the virus "SK" in beauty, in addition to intensify border controls at the border to prevent smuggling.

 

GAD also stressed that cooperation with the animal health Research Institute to withdraw samples of beauty of Egypt from Sudan and Ethiopia to detect disease "SK" Rift Valley fever and check on the safety of beauty, and after entering the quarantine in the border areas before reaching the Egyptian markets.

 

Sayed GAD said that Egypt imported annually 120,000 head of beauty apply each stone and veterinary requirements, both from the country of origin or border, confirmed that it was tightening controls on Halaib and shalatin ports, especially as the main port for beauty, as well as create a quarry in hadrbh area near the Red Sea coast.

 

 

Given the recent political fallout in Saudi Arabia (including the removal of a long-serving Minister of Health) over their slow response to the MERS virus – Egypt -  which as seen more than its share of political instability in recent years, appears anxious to get out ahead of the virus.

Saudi MOA Spokesman: Camel Link Unproven, MERS-CoV Is MOH Problem

 

Photo Credit Wikipedia

 

# 8460

 

Even as evidence that camels are – at least partially – involved in the carriage and transmission of the MERS Coronavirus mounts (see CIDRAP NEWS report WHO sees camels as MERS source, but route uncertain) , the spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture has stated that MERS is essentially not their problem, but the problem of the MOH.

Camels are part of the Saudi national identity. Any restrictions on (or worse, calls for culling of) this ubiquitous symbol of KSA is undoubtedly a `hot potato’  that no one in power is particularly anxious  to grasp hold of.

 

Since it has been well demonstrated that MERS is endemic in camels, the longer that situation goes unresolved, the greater the chance is that we’ll see additional spillovers of the virus into the human population. Making this abdication of responsibility concerning, to say the least.

Two reports on today’s statement:

 

Speaker "Agriculture": "Corona" of human viruses .. and "health" is responsible for the treatment and eradication of

منذ ساعة

 

Said the official spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture Engineer Jaber monthly virus "Corona" of human diseases not related to animals by pointing out that the treatment and eradication is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health.

He explained that the monthly all cases recorded all mankind, and that the media reported about the existence of traces of "Corona" in the blood of the camel and it's the main source of transmission of the virus is not documented, according to the "city”

 

A bit more detail comes via this report from HasaToday:

 

Confirmed that it is not related to animals infected ..

"Agriculture" disclaims all "Corona" .. and afford health

The spokesman said the Ministry of Agriculture, Engineer Jaber Al-Shehri, the Corona virus of human diseases, stressing that the Ministry of Health is responsible for the treatment and eradication.

Regarding the studies that showed no traces "Corona" in the blood of the camels, and in it the main source of transmission of the virus, he pointed out that the monthly all registered cases of all mankind, adding that what the press said in this regard is not documented.

Monthly and refused to comment on whether there is an intention to work quarantine for animals, or removal from the pens of camel populations, and that as reported in the "city."

The spokesman's remarks came Ministry of Agriculture, commenting on a statement infectious disease experts, who confirmed that the camel is the main reason for the transmission of the virus.

China’s MOA Disputes Poultry As Source Of H7N9 Infections

Credit FAO

 

# 8246

 

While Chinese poultry – particularly poultry sold in live markets – are atop the suspect list for spreading the H7N9 virus, there remain many unanswered questions regarding where this virus resides, and how it is jumping to humans.  Prime among them, despite having the finger of suspicion directed at them, remarkably few birds have actually tested positive for the virus.

 

While only a few dozen H7N9 positive birds were detected last year out of tens of thousands tested, we saw an immediate and dramatic drop in the number of human cases once live bird markets were closed (see The Lancet: Poultry Market Closure Effect On H7N9 Transmission), making for a pretty compelling circumstantial case for live poultry being the prime vector.

As does the oft quoted (but hard to verify) statistic that 70% of human cases reported recent direct contact with live poultry.

 

The FAO, in their most recent update (see FAO Calls For Increased Regional Vigilance & Preparedness Over H7N9), stops short of making a definitive statement on the source of infection, but states:

 

There is strong evidence that people become infected following close contact with infected live poultry, mostly in live bird markets or when slaughtering birds at home.

 

As does the World Health Organization, in their most recent H7N9 Risk Assessment:

 

Source of human infection

Although much remains unknown about this virus, such as (1) the animal reservoir(s) in which it is circulating, (2) the main exposures and routes of transmission to humans, and (3) the distribution and prevalence of this virus among people and animals, human infection appears to be associated with exposure to live poultry or contaminated environments, including markets where live poultry are sold. This is based on the following:

• Most human cases report a history of exposure to birds or live poultry markets.

• The viruses isolated from humans are avian influenza viruses and genetically similar to those isolated from birds and the environment.

• Targeted testing of poultry and environment in live poultry markets that are epidemiologically linked with human cases of H7N9 infection has revealed more positive results than testing in areas not linked with human cases

 

While none of this equates to a `smoking chicken’, warnings regarding visiting live poultry markets have been prominently featured by Hong Kong’s CHP, Mainland China’s CDC, along with our own CDC, and the World Health Organization.

 

Unlike other dangerous avian flu viruses we’ve seen in the past, H7N9 doesn’t make poultry ill, making it very difficult to detect, control, or eradicate.  An avian virus that sickens and even kills people, carried stealthily by chickens or ducks, is the very definition of a nightmare scenario for the poultry industry.

 

But for China, where food insecurity remains high and poultry provides much of their diet’s protein – this scenario could prove economically, politically, and socially disastrous.

 

China, which produces more poultry than anyplace else on earth, reportedly raises over 15 Billion birds each year. Poultry - whether factory-farm produced or from backyard flocks - is a major source of income, and food, for hundreds of millions of people.

 

Anything that seriously threatens China’s poultry industry also raises the specter of mass hunger in the world’s most populous nation.  And with that comes political instability, and unpredictable outcomes.  Something which we looked at last April in Food Insecurity, Economics, And The Control Of H7N9.

 

While China’s CDC is primarily concerned with preserving the the health of the nation, their Minister of Agriculture (MOA) is concerned with feeding more than 1 billion people. With very different responsibilities and goals, and the price of failure high, I suppose we shouldn’t be too surprised to see conflicting messages regarding the H7N9 virus.

 

Today, on the eve of China’s biggest holiday celebration, their MOA has  publicly disputed the connection between live poultry and the infection of humans by the H7N9 virus.   This from CCTV.

 

No proof of direct poultry-to-human transmissions

China's Ministry of Agriculture says there is so far no proof of any direct transmission of the H7N9 bird flu from poultry to humans. The ministry said on Wednesday that it had collected over 1.6 million poultry and environment samples in 2013, of which only 88 samples had tested positive for the H7N9 virus.

 

So far in 2014, the ministry has taken another 33,000 samples, eight of which were found to be positive. All of the positive samples came from live poultry markets.

 

"So far we haven’t found any positive samples from live poultry farms. And we haven’t found any evidence to prove that poultry can pass the H7N9 virus directly to humans." Zhang Zhongqiu, bureau director of Ministry of Agriculture, said.

 

 

Admittedly, the paucity of positive tests out of more than a million samples introduces a degree of uncertainty regarding the transmission of this virus, and the possibility of there being more than one vector species can’t be ignored.

 

But until another vector can be identified, exposure to live market birds remains the most likely risk factor for contracting the virus.

 

Of course, should this virus ever acquire the ability to spread efficiently between humans, that point will quickly become moot.