Germany Adopts New Stringent Bird Flu Protection Regulations

Lower Saxony – Near Dutch Border – Credit Wikipedia

 

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After the announcement on Saturday (see Germany: 2nd H5N8 Outbreak In Lower Saxony) of Germany’s 3rd farm to be impacted by the H5N8 virus, followed closely by a report of a wild duck in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt likewise infected, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL) has announced new stringent regulations on the raising, sale, and transport of ducks and geese within the country.

Unlike chickens and turkeys, ducks and geese (and waterfowl in general) are less apt to show outward signs of infection with avian flu viruses, and so recent testing is now required prior to transport and slaughter.

 

The concern at this time is over the potential to spread the H5N8 virus to other poultry holdings via the transporting of asymptomatic ducks and geese, rather than any serious human health threat. 

 

This (machine translated) press release from the BMEL.

 

Press release no. 336, 22/12/14

Federal Agriculture Minister Schmidt shall express regulation for protection against avian influenza

Federal Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt has signed a rush Regulation on Monday, with all the ducks and geese holders are obliged to examine your animal populations for the presence of avian influenza prior to transport. Only with a negative test result, the animals can be transported and slaughtered.

At the time of shipment, the sampling must not be older than seven days. The Regulation shall enter into force on Tuesday at 0.00 clock and applies nationwide by 31st March 2015th The associations of the poultry industry had promised to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture at the weekend to implement the proposed investigation obligation immediately.

"Ducks and geese, in contrast to turkeys and chickens no signs of illness, if they have been infected with the highly infectious virus H5N8. The risk of undetected infected animals are transported and the spread of disease vehicle and personal contacts may be reproduced, is therefore high, "said Minister Schmidt. "This measure is intended to protect our livestock", as Schmidt added.

In the last week of Avian Influenza Virus was first detected in a Lower Saxony turkey fattening farm and then ducks in a pig farm, also in Lower Saxony. Between the two companies was no contact. Experts have previously assumed that the most likely causes of the spread of the pathogen are migratory. As the pathogen has entered the livestock numbers, is still the subject of ongoing investigations.

There is no evidence that the H5N8 virus is transmitted to humans worldwide. Consumers should generally comply with strict kitchen hygiene rules when preparing poultry and poultry eat only cooked through. To protect against animal diseases are beyond raw meat scraps principle in your household trash and not in the organic waste still on the compost heap.

Egypt’s MOA Reacts To MERS-Camel Connection

Photo Credit Wikipedia

 

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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.