AVIAN FLU

[Guest]

Wales - H7N2 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Restricted Zone

 

 

Click here to see an enlarged version of this map

 

 

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/ahw/disease_surveillance_control/avianflu/large-map/?lang=en

 

The Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed that low pathogenic avian influenza is present in Wales.

 

In accordance with Article 55 of the Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (Wales) (No.2) Order 2006 (“the Order”), the National Assembly for Wales declares the area described in Annex 1 to this Declaration to be a low pathogenic avian influenza restricted zone (the zone).

 

In accordance with Article 57 of the Order, the measures set out in Schedule 7 to the Order apply in the zone.

 

The zone is marked on the map in Annex 2.

 

These measures apply from 3 pm on 24th May 2007 until this Declaration is withdrawn or amended by further declaration.

 

Tony Joss

Exotic Diseases and Contingency Planning Branch

OCVO

On behalf of the National Assembly for Wales

    

15:00, 24th May 2007

 

Failure to comply with this Declaration may be an offence under section 72 or 73 of the Animal Health Act 1981.

 

Copies of this Declaration and of the Order are available from the National Assembly for Wales, Cathays Park,Cardiff,CF10 3NQ.

 

Annex 1

 

Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Restricted Zone

The low pathogenic avian influenza restricted zone comprises the area based on a 1 kilometre radius distance from map reference SH 9861251272 which can be converted to Easting-298612 and Northing 351272.

 

Annex 2

 

Map showing the low pathogenic avian influenza restricted zone

 

 

 

[Guest]

Outbreak of H7N2 Low Pathogenic AI in St Helens, England, linked to earlier outbreak at Conwy, North Wales.

 

1km zone with restrictions on Captive birds within zone.

 

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/pdf/lpai-declaration-sthelens070607.pdf

 

 

[Roland]

Avian Influenza is back.

At least 6 (5 swans and 1 goose) of the 14 dead birds found in Nürnberg, Germany, the last few days are of the H5N1 variant.

I am glad that the hysteria associated with last year's outbreak (which involved poultry) seems to be missing since this involves just wild birds so far.

[sky]

I heard about it earlier this afternoon  :-/

[Guest]

There was an outbreak amongst farmed turkeys in Czech Republic the week before the Germany outbreak in swans. Glad to say DEFRA's Risk Assessment of both doesn't seem too concerned.

[Guest]

News just breaking that FRANCE has implemented restrictions on racing pigeons within and from other countries. Information is in French and awaiting non-mechanical translation of what this means for UK & Ireland racing from France.

[Roland]

Dear pigeon fancier friends,

 

Due to a case of avian influenza in Germany, France has taken measure regarding Poultry and pigeon races. As Belgium, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, etc...use France a lot to organise their races, any decision taken by France regarding the pigeon sport can be crucial for the continuity of the current racing season.

 

According to a press communiqué from the french Ministery ( of 24th of June - yesterday ) which you can read here ( in French )

http://www.agriculture.gouv.fr/spip/leministere.leministrelecabinet.communiquesdepresse_a7106.html

it is forbidden now to race pigeons over certain departements* in France.

 

In practice ?

What does it mean now in practice for the pigeon racers in Europe ? Well certain pigeon races, like Marseille or Orange, which are situated in these departments that are forbidden for pigeon racers, possibly will be cancelled...Other races like Barcelona have less danger to be cancelled, because the pigeons have to fly over zones in departements which are not on the forbidden list.

 

On this very moment the president of the french pigeon federation Mr. De Sousa is negotiating with the French Ministery to have favourable conditions for the pigeon races.

 

As soon as we know more about this, we will keep you informed.

 

A lot of people are discussing about these matters on our discussion forum :

Avian Influenza-section : : http://www.pipa.be/forum/viewforum.php?f=14

Season 2007-section : http://www.pipa.be/forum/viewforum.php?f=16

General-section : http://www.pipa.be/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

 

Kindest regards,

[Guest]

RPRA website 28th June 07:-

 

Outbreak Of Avian Flu In Europe

 

Due to the out break of the Avian flu virus H5N1 in the Czech Republic and Germany the Following sites in France have been closed to all pigeon racing:

 

Niort

Fougeres

Picauville

St Malo

St Nazaire

Vannes

 

The Racing Support Team have informed all race organizers and are arranging alternative sites and permits

 

This is the current situation at the time of update, we at the RPRA are monitoring the situation and will keep you informed of any change as we are informed of them.

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

According to OIE Website, there has been a second H5N1 outbreak reported today in Czech Republic, this time amongst farmed chickens on top of their existing outbreak in farmed turkeys. And a second H5N1 outbreak also reported in Germany, this time in wild swans & ducks on top of their existing outbreak in wild swans.

[jimmy white]

thanks for keeping us all well informed bruno ,,, excellent job, [and off course the other posters  too]

[Guest bristolkev]

Germany Finds Avian Flu; France, Austria Test Fowl (Update1)

 

By Eva von Schaper

 

July 4 (Bloomberg) -- German authorities confirmed that a wild bird was found carrying the H5N1 strain of bird flu in the central state of Thuringia.

 

An additional bird is being tested for avian influenza, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut in Riems said. Officials sealed off an area within 3 kilometers (2 miles) of where the bird was found, Thuringia officials said in a release yesterday.

 

German authorities last month tested carcasses of four birds to determine whether they carried the H5N1 strain of avian flu after the virus was found in nine fowl in the country in three days. Six birds infected with the virus were found dead in the southern state of Bavaria and three in the eastern state of Saxony.

 

France is testing three young swans, found dead on a lake in Moselle near the German border, for avian flu. The Agriculture Ministry said it expects to have test results tomorrow and in the meantime, it's increased surveillance in the area, banned bird hunting and asked for the confinement of domestic birds.

 

Austrian officials suspect avian influenza in a number of wild birds, European officials said. The animals are being tested for the virus.

 

To contact the reporter on this story: Eva von Schaper in Munich at evonschaper@bloomberg.net .

 

Last Updated: July 4, 2007 09:08 EDT

[Guest]

Dear All

 

H5N1 has been confirmed in NE France in a group of swans.  

 

The French Government has, as a precautionary measure, banned all racing pigeon liberations until further notice.

 

Organisations that are en route or already in situ must abort their liberations planned in France and return to the UK.

 

A further update will be given when anymore information/advice is available.

 

Regards  

 

Peter Bryant

[Pompey Mick]

It seems that DEFRA have removed the Continental racing part of the permit ,only alllowing British Isles  racing excluding the Channel Isles

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/keptbirds/genlicence.htm

[Guest]

RPRA website was updated late last night to take account of DEFRA. It's official, inland racing only until further notice.

 

FRENCH RACING BAN - 5 JULY 2007 latest update 2230 hrs

 

H5N1 has been confirmed in NE France in a group of swans.  

 

The French Government has, as a precautionary measure, banned all racing pigeon liberations until further notice. This has been endorsed by DEFRA at a meeting this afternoon and the General Licence has been revised and racing from outside of the UK has, as a precautionary measure also, been banned.  Therefore only racing within the UK can take place at present.  DEFRA will keep the situation under review until the situation in Western Europe stabilises.

The revised General Licence is on the DEFRA website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/keptbirds/genlicence.htm

 

Organisations that are en route or already in situ must abort their liberations planned in France and return to the UK.

 

A further update will be given when anymore information/advice is available.

 

Peter Bryant

General Manager

 

 

 

 

[jimmy white]

thanks for the latest update bruno, well done

[Guest]

Latest Risk Assessment, published 12th July, but only deals with H5N1 transmission by migratory wild birds. Lot of new and interesting stuff in it about different wild bird species and their habits, that tends to gloss-over the real facts on the current outbreaks in Europe - and that is a new outbreak of a new H5N1 strain which first occurred amongst poultry in Czech Republic, and there appears to have been a spill-over from that outbreak into the wild migratory bird population which has spread the virus westwards, causing relatively huge numbers of deaths amongst the wild population, especially in Germany.

 

The report also concludes that there is a high risk of certain species introducing the virus into Britain in the coming weeks and months.

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/monitoring/pdf/qra-recentdevelopments120707.pdf

[Pompey Mick]

What is the position with poultry imports from France at the present time? With the probable link of the Bernard Matthews outbreak with infected farms in Europe, what restrictions are currently in place with France & German imports?

 

With that in mind this article throws a different point of view on the spread of Avian Flu.

 

http://www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk/publications/pdfs_and_word/BirdFlu_June06.pdf

[Bilco]

Well, they do say that "Its an ill wind that blows nobody any good" (or something like that) and the good news is that H5N1 has been diagnosed in 29 birds of prey to date, mostly carrion eaters, but we live in hope.  Now, just think what might happen if H5N1 were to be found in the Exe Estuary, or Falmouth, or in any other place where birds of prey live off the wading bird community in winter time?  Terrible !   Cheers,

[Guest]

Well, they do say that "Its an ill wind that blows nobody any good" (or something like that) and the good news is that H5N1 has been diagnosed in 29 birds of prey to date, mostly carrion eaters, but we live in hope.  Now, just think what might happen if H5N1 were to be found in the Exe Estuary, or Falmouth, or in any other place where birds of prey live off the wading bird community in winter time?  Terrible !   Cheers,

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D andy

 

 

[Guest]

What is the position with poultry imports from France at the present time? With the probable link of the Bernard Matthews outbreak with infected farms in Europe, what restrictions are currently in place with France & German imports?

 

 

 

No imports allowed into UK from AI affected areas in Czech Republic or Germany:-

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/int-trde/cins/index.htm

 

 

48 other countries ban on imports from UK  due to AI in UK.

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/int-trde/cins/2007/07173.htm

 

 

Curiously, no trade ban between France and UK due to AI.

 

[Pompey Mick]

So the poultry industry get minimal restrictions and we get blanket bans.

Since H5N1 is primarily a chicken disease 100% mortality it is obvious that DEFRA's priorities are nothing to do with disease spread and all to do with the Economy. Banning pigeon racing is nothing more than a Public Relations exercise which has minimal effect on the National Economy  and maximum effect on our Sport.

[Guest]

Very hard to understand defras way of thinking mick as you say we have poultry with high risk and minimal restrictions pigeons with low risk and maximum restrictions  Money comes to mind in all this whatever they do to us they are not going to be looking at paying out compensation whereas they are with the poultry industry

  

 

its never been put to task yet rose ,just look whats about to happen at the moment with the bicc not long before some one comes up with something and finds a loop hole somewhere hopefully ;D ;D ;D

[Pompey Mick]

I find it interesting that in their Risk Assessment for Parks & Open spaces there is no mention by DEFRA of that ubiquitous park dweller the feral pigeon. Pigeons would seem to pose no risk in Urban parks.

 

' Of importance to public parks and open waters

the susceptible species include all varieties of ducks and geese.'

 

However when it comes to healthy racing pigeons a different attitude prevails, pigeons become top of the list.

 

http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/influenza/avian/documents/AIParksandOpenWatersRiskAssessment-July2006_000.pdf

[jimmy white]

Well, they do say that "Its an ill wind that blows nobody any good" (or something like that) and the good news is that H5N1 has been diagnosed in 29 birds of prey to date, mostly carrion eaters, but we live in hope.  Now, just think what might happen if H5N1 were to be found in the Exe Estuary, or Falmouth, or in any other place where birds of prey live off the wading bird community in winter time?  Terrible !   Cheers,

 

i had mentioned at the very beginning of the outbreak ,[when the public were frightened of their budgie etc  and pigeons were not looked on kindly ] ,that the hawks which are protected could quite easy carry this disease???[killing these water birds that carry the disease, and capable of spreading it ] if Joe public thought this ,,,,it wouldn't be impossible to to kill two birds with one stone , so to speak ,,,,a great big if ,, but you get nowhere without trying.

[Pompey Mick]

Here's an interesting report:

http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/avian_flu/