Iowa Governor Declares State-Wide Bird Flu Emergency, MN reports 2 More Farms Hit

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During a 4pm (EDT) press conference today, Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad announced the declaration of a statewide state of emergency due to the ongoing avian flu outbreak affecting millions of chickens and turkeys in his state. 

 

This afternoon, Iowa Agriculture officials are also reporting four more farms with probable H5N2 infection, raising the total to 21 farms, across 10 counties.   Roughly 16 million birds have died, or will be culled, in Iowa alone – roughly 25% of that state’s layer population.

 

While the threat to human health is considered low at this time, this state of Emergency will allow the governor to authorize the use of state money and resources to track and monitor cases, restrict and monitor the movement of poultry, and to safely dispose of millions of dead birds.

 

Here is the statement from the Governor’s Office.

 

Branstad declares state of emergency in Iowa

Date: May 01, 2015

Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad today was joined by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Mark Schouten to provide an update on the ongoing efforts to stop the avian influenza outbreak in Iowa. In addition, Gov. Branstad announced that he is declaring a state of emergency in Iowa. The disaster proclamation can be viewed here.

“While the avian influenza outbreak does not pose a risk to humans, we are taking the matter very seriously and believe declaring a state of emergency is the best way to make all resources available,” said Branstad. “Even before the virus began in Iowa, our office was monitoring the outbreak in other states. We’ll continue our work – as we’ve been doing since the first outbreak in Buena Vista County – in hopes of stopping the virus’ aggressive spread throughout Iowa.”

At time of press, 21 sites spanning 10 Iowa counties have cases that are either presumed positives or confirmed positives. The counties include: Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Kossuth, Madison, O’Brien, Osceola, Pocahontas, Sac and Sioux.

“Iowa’s poultry farms are an important part of our state’s agriculture industry.  This disease is having a far reaching impact and, unfortunately, it has continued to spread.  We have seen tremendous support and coordination from state, federal and local partners and this emergency declaration will allow the state to continue to respond aggressively to this disease outbreak,” Northey said.

In addition, Gov. Branstad today declared a state of emergency due to the outbreak. The proclamation is effective immediately and will continue until May 31, 2015, at 11:59 p.m., unless sooner terminated or extended by the governor.

The proclamation of disaster emergency can be read below and does the following:

• 1.      Activates the disaster response and recovery aspect of the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department’s (HSEMD) Iowa Emergency Response Plan.
• 2.      Authorizes the use and deployment of all available state resources, supplies, equipment, and materials as are deemed reasonably necessary by the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and Iowa HSEMD in order to do the following:
• A.      Track and monitor instances of confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza  throughout the state of Iowa and the country,
• B.      Establish importation restrictions and prohibitions in respect to animals suspected of suffering from this disease,
• C.      Rapidly detect any presumptive or confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza within Iowa’s borders, 
• D.     Contain the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza within our state through depopulation, disinfections, and disposal of livestock carcasses,
• E.      Engage in detection activities, contact tracking, and other investigatory work to stop the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza within our state, and
• F.       Eliminate the disease in those disaster counties where it has been found and lessen the risk of this disease spreading to our state as a whole.
• 3.      Temporarily authorizes the Iowa HSEMD, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), the Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), other state agencies, and local law enforcement agencies and private contractors employed by the same to remove and/or dispose of live animals and animal carcasses on publicly or privately owned land when those live animals and/or carcasses threaten public health or safety.
• 4.      Authorizes the Iowa HSEMD, the Iowa DOT, the Iowa DPS, the Iowa DNR, IDPH, other state agencies, and local law enforcement agencies to implement stop movement and stop loading restrictions and other control zone measures as are reasonably deemed necessary, including establishing buffer zones, checkpoints, and cleaning and disinfecting operations at checkpoints and borders surrounding any quarantine areas established by the IDALS or at any other location in the state of Iowa, in order to stop the spread of this contagious disease.
• 5.      Authorizes state agencies to assist the IDALS in disinfection, depopulation, and livestock carcass disposal efforts.
• 6.      Temporarily waives restrictions to allow for the timely and efficient disposal of poultry carcasses.
• 7.      Temporarily suspends the regulatory provisions pertaining to hours of service for commercial vehicle drivers hauling poultry carcasses infected with or exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza or while hauling loads otherwise related to the response to this disaster during its duration, subject to certain conditions outlined in the disaster proclamation.

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Meanwhile, Minnesota is reporting two additional (presumed) positive poultry operations, bringing that state’s total to 72 farms, and just under 4 million birds affected.

 

Sierra Leone Declares State Of Public Emergency Over Ebola

 

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In a statement released last night on the Ebola crisis, Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma stated  `. . .  the disease is beyond the scope of any one country, or community to defeat. Its social, economic, psychological and security implications require scaling up measures at international, national, inter-agency and community levels.’

Noting that `Extra-ordinary challenges require extra-ordinary measures’, President Koroma officially declared a State of Public Emergency last night – expected to last  at least 60 to 90 days.  In his statement he outlined the following steps to be taken to combat the Ebola outbreak.

 

We are launching a National Response Plan to inaugurate Phase Two of our fight against the disease. I also hereby establish a Presidential Task Force on Ebola which I will chair to champion the implementation of the following:

• All epicenters of the disease will be quarantined;
• The police and the military will give support to health officers and NGOs to do their work unhindered and restrict movements to and from epicenters;
• Localities and homes where the disease is identified will be quarantined until cleared by medical teams;
• Public meetings and gatherings will be restricted with the exception of essential meetings related to Ebola sensitization and education;
• Active surveillance and house-to-house searches shall be conducted to trace and quarantine Ebola victims and suspects;
• Parliament is recalled to promote MPs leadership at constituency levels;
• Paramount chiefs are required to establish bye-laws that would complement other efforts to deal with the Ebola outbreak;
• Mayors, chairmen of councils and councilors are hereby required to support Ebola control measures in their local government areas;
• All deaths must be reported authorities before burial;
• New protocols for arriving and departing passengers have been instituted at the Lungi International Airport;
• Cancellation of all foreign trips by ministers and other government officials except absolutely essential engagements.

You can read the entire Presidential Statement at the link below:

 

Address to the Nation on the Ebola Outbreak By His Excellency The President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma July 30, 2014

Mexico Declares National H7N3 Animal Health Emergency

 

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Mexico’s Agricultural Ministry (Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación; SAGARPA) today announced a national animal health emergency as the H7N3 outbreak that made headlines last week (see Mexico: High Path H7 In Jalisco) has reportedly now affected more than 1.7 million birds.

 

ChannelNewsAsia has an AFP report Mexico declares bird flu emergency, but a short version of the announcement can be found on the SENASICA (National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality) website:

 

Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza type A, subtype H7N3 does not affect humans, only birds, according to Organization Animal Health (OIE).

See Frequently Asked Questions
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Press release

Was published today in the Official Journal of the Federation agreement that activates, integrates and operates the National Emergency Animal Health, pursuant to Article 78 of the Federal Animal Health Law, to diagnose, prevent , control and eradicate avian influenza virus type A, subtype H7N3, actions taken since last week in coordination with the farming.

 

While H7N3 is not considered to represent a high human health risk, the statement that it does not affect humans is not strictly true. As I wrote last week, there have been a handful of (generally mild) human infections detected with this subtype of avian flu.

 

The following is a machine translation of a more detailed press release (including information on the quarantine, slaughter, vaccination, and the destruction of infected poultry), which is available from the SARGAPA website. 

 

SENASICA published in the Official Gazette of the National Emergency Animal Health

Mexico City, July 2, 2012

Was published today in the Official Journal of the Federation agreement that activates, integrates and operates the National Emergency Animal Health, pursuant to Article 78 of the Federal Animal Health Law, to diagnose, prevent, control and eradicate avian influenza virus type A, subtype H7N3, actions taken since last week in coordination with the farming.

The agreement is issued under the June 20, 2012 the National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) confirmed the presence of a virus highly pathogenic avian influenza exotic for Mexico in two municipalities of Jalisco and considers that requires immediate attention for its control and eventual eradication, to prevent severe damage to the poultry industry.

The coordination of the National Emergency Animal Health will be in charge of SENASICA through the Directorate General of Animal Health (DGSA), which will be supported by the Mexico - United States for the Prevention of FMD and other diseases Exotic Animals (CPA).

 

Although the virus is focused on municipalities and Acatic Tepatitlan, Jalisco, the operation will be activated throughout the country, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, for which the country is divided into eight regions emergency .

 

The eight regions will be regulated and directed by SENASICA through the DGSA, with the support of the CPA and actions will be executed in each region under the supervision of the Coordinators responsible for compliance to the Agreement will have the Groups State Animal Health Emergency (GEESA), led by the coordinators of the CPA.

 

The agreement also establishes the animal health measures and coordinated urgent application to the diagnosis, prevention, control and eradication of Avian Influenza virus type A subtype among which are: animal health education on avian influenza to poultry and people and legal entities related to the poultry industry.

 

Under the transmission of the virus highly pathogenic avian influenza in birds occurs by direct or indirect animal products and byproducts from infected birds exposed and sets the control of the movement of poultry and their products and products as well as other animal species regulated by the Animal Health Act and provisions thereunder, which may represent a risk to poultry.

 

They also provide animal health and ordering cords retention and disposition of poultry products and byproducts, as well as biological, chemical, pharmaceutical and food for use or consumption by these birds that could cause an outbreak of Avian Influenza.

 

As animal health measures include diagnostic work and identification of avian influenza virus, quarantine and isolation for affected farms and the work you reinforce surveillance and epidemiological research.

 

To avoid transmission of avian influenza virus type A subtype H7N3 is ordered sanitation practices, disinfection, disinfestation, sterilization, using germicides and pesticides in animals, premises and transport.

 

SENASICA further instructs the culling sick or exposed to avian influenza and disposal of poultry products and byproducts in the manner specified in the body.

 

Similarly, immunization will be permitted upon express authorization of SENASICA, to protect and prevent the spread of the disease.

 

SENASICA establish mechanisms of coordination with other agencies of the Federal Government, the Governments of the States, the National Technical Advisory Council for Animal Health, the National Union of Poultry Farmers, as well as poultry producers and individuals linked to activities related to poultry, which are required to provide the SENASICA all the support and technical and administrative cooperation, as well as the epidemiological data and production is required to diagnose, prevent, control and eradicate avian influenza virus type A subtype H7N3 of the country.

 

Finally, the agreement indicates that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, through the National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality, assess the health status of the areas recognized as being of low prevalence, in control, and eradication or free of notifiable avian influence, in order to determine the measures necessary for the proper implementation of the Agreement.

 

 

And the actual declaration may be found HERE.

 

While public health authorities will no doubt be keeping their eyes on this situation, this is primarily a concern to agricultural interests. 

 

An H7N3 outbreak in 2004, highly pathogenic H7N3 outbreaks in British Columbia's Fraser Valley back in 2004 led to the culling of 19 million birds.

Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test Today

 

 

 

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This year has broken all records when it comes to federally declared disasters, with FEMA showing 93 major disaster declarations so far in 2011.

While some disasters - like Hurricane Irene - impacted a number of states, others were more localized events.  

 

Later today FEMA, along with partners NOAA and the FCC, will conduct the first ever nation-wide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).

 

The EAS can be activated in the event of a national emergency by the President of The United States, and on a more localized level by the NWS to issue severe storm warnings, and by state governors and local emergency managers for more geographically limited emergencies.

 

With newer technologies such as satellite TV,  cable TV, satellite Radio, etc. the task of alerting the nation during a crisis has grown considerably more complex.

 

So later today these agencies will conduct a brief (approximately 30 second) test across all broadcast mediums.   This is only a test.

 

Here are specific items FEMA would like everyone to know about the test:

 

• It will be conducted Wednesday, November 9 at 2:00 PM EST.
• It will be transmitted via television and radio stations within the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
• Similar to local emergency alert system tests, an audio message will interrupt television and radio programming indicating: “This is a test.”
• When the test is over, regular programming will resume.

 

For more on all of this you can visit FEMA’s EAS TEST webpage.

 

While state and federal governments, along with the nation’s broadcasters, test their readiness, this is also a good time to take stock of your personal and business preparedness plans.

Should a major disaster occur, it could take several days before help might arrive, and perhaps weeks before essential services are restored.

Are you ready?

 

Do you have an emergency plan?

Do you have at least 3 days (a week or more would be prudent) worth of ready-to-eat food and water on hand for all family members and pets?

 

Do you have a good first aid kit and an emergency weather radio?

 

Could you, or your family go a week, or perhaps two without electricity or water?

 

 

To learn how to prepare, a good place to start is Ready.gov.

 

 

You’ll also find a long list of preparedness essays on this site by searching on PREPARE  or NPM11.

Report: Explosion At Fukushima Nuke Plant

 

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(Video of explosion- BBC)

 

Details are sketchy at this time, but it appears that a major explosion has taken place at reactor #1 at the Fukushima facility on Honshu Island about 4pm local time (2 am EST or 7am GST). 

 

Radiation levels are rising outside the damaged plant, and the possibility exists that a feared core melt-down may be occurring.

 

 

Here is how the Associated Press is reporting the incident:

 

 

Japan: Explosion heard at Fukushima nuclear power plant

Associated Press, Updated: March 12, 2011 14:52 IST

Sendai, Japan: An explosion at a nuclear power station tore down the walls of one building Saturday as smoke poured out and Japanese officials said they feared the reactor could melt down following the failure of its cooling system in a powerful earthquake and tsunami.

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Meanwhile Reuters is reporting that the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is urgently trying to get information on the reported explosion.

 

IAEA 'Urgently' Seeking Info on Japan Blast Report

March 12, 2011

Vienna. The United Nation’s nuclear watchdog said it is aware of media reports of an explosion on Saturday at Japan’s Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant and is urgently seeking information from the country’s authorities.

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This situation is obviously fluid, and serious.  

How serious is something we may not know for hours.

 

 

Reuters is now reporting (at 4:50 am EST) that the explosion at Fukushima reactor #1 has been confirmed.

 

Japan Confirms Explosion, Leakage at Nuclear Plant

March 12, 2011

Tokyo, Japan. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano confirmed on Saturday there has been an explosion and radiation leakage at Tokyo Electric Power Co’s (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

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Events are moving rapidly.   Stay tuned.

Report: Five Nuke Reactors Now Declaring Emergencies

 

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For several hours we’ve been hearing reports suggesting that one or more additional nuclear facilities in Japan were experiencing difficulties in the wake of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck off Honshu Island roughly 18 hours ago.

 

 

Now, the Associated Press is reporting a total of 5 reactors declaring emergencies at two different nuclear facilities.

 

Japan quake causes emergencies at 5 nuke reactors

By MARI YAMAGUCHI and JEFF DONN
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan declared states of emergency for five nuclear reactors at two power plants after the units lost cooling ability in the aftermath of Friday's powerful earthquake. Thousands of residents were evacuated as workers struggled to get the reactors under control to prevent meltdowns.

 

A single reactor in northeastern Japan had been the focus of much of the concern in the initial hours after the 8.9 magnitude quake, but the government declared new states of emergency at four other reactors in the area Saturday morning.

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Additional evacuations have been ordered - potentially affecting tens of thousands of residents in and around these nuclear plants.

 

For earlier reports on these nuclear power plant concerns see:

 

Racing The Clock To Cool A Reactor

Report: Radiation Levels Rising Inside Fukushima Nuke Plant

Japan: Evacuation Order For Those Within 3km Of Damaged Nuke Plant