Nepal - Jan '09 +

[Auburn Boy]

Oh heck..,

Suspected Human infection with H5N1 found in Napal!!

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...t_10717281.htm

Nepal finds suspected human infection of bird flu www.chinaview.cn 2009-01-25 14:16:44 KATHMANDU, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has found a patient from Damak, eastern Nepal, to be suspected case of human bird flu infection, Nepali national news agency RSS reported on Sunday. Damak of Jhapa district is some 320 km east of Nepali capital Kathmandu. In mid-January, the first case of bird flu in poultry was detected in Kakarbhitta of the same district. According to the report, bird flu has been suspected to have infected Santosh Dahal from Damak who was taken to nearby BP Koirala Institute for Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan. Communication spokesperson for BPKIHS Bijay Rimal said bird flu virus has been suspected to have been found in Dahal's blood sample during test in institute's laboratory. He said Dahal's blood sample has been sent for further tests in a sophisticated laboratory. He said Dahal was showing symptoms of bird flu infection. The BPKIHS however did not reveal where Dahal's blood sample was sent. Rimal, however, said it cannot be officially confirmed whether Dahal is infected with bird flu yet as the institute lacked a specific lab to test bird flu. Dahal was referred to Dharan by Lifeline Hospital in Damak following three-day treatment there.

This is a startling event in that Nepal has just barely had infections reported in poultry.

I wonder what's keeping India..,

[Auburn Boy]

First Bird Flu case in Poultry in Nepal:

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-01-16-voa15.cfm

Nepal Reports First Bird Flu Cases Among Poultry By Steve Herman New Delhi 16 January 2009 Nepal is confirming bird flu in poultry has been detected for the first time in the Himalayan nation. This follows outbreaks last month in Bangladesh and India. Several Nepalese government ministries confirm the first outbreak of the deadly H5N1 virus in birds in the country. But they say they have no reports of the virus affecting humans. The outbreak, which killed chickens and ducks, is at a farm in the southern town of Kakarvitta, bordering the Indian state of West Bengal. An Indian consultant to the poultry industry, Amit Sachdev, tells VOA that after recent bird flu outbreaks in West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh, it was inevitable Nepal would see its own cases. "It's all porous borders. There is a huge movement of chicken, chicks and people in those areas," he said. "So it does not just come as a surprise. It was bound to happen and it has just happened." India has culled millions of chickens and ducks since its first outbreaks in 2006. Following an emergency cabinet meeting Friday in Kathmandu, Nepal's government ordered poultry slaughtered within a three-kilometer radius of Kakarvitta, 480 kilometers east of the capital. Poultry expert Sachdev says the culling should be merely the first counteraction Nepal takes. "The second step would be cleaning that whole area because the virus can remain in the feathers or in the dead birds and on the feces," Sachdev explained. "We know that there could be some smuggling around - that farmers who don't want their birds to be killed would take [them] to other areas. But if those birds are infested or infected that would be a major issue." Nepal banned poultry imports from India last year after outbreaks of H5N1 here. But officials acknowledge chickens are still routinely smuggled across the border. Avian influenza is a major concern to health experts. They worry the H5N1 strain could mutate or combine with the seasonal human influenza virus, triggering a global pandemic killing millions of people. The virus, according to the World Health Organization, has killed about 250 people since resurfacing six years ago in Asia.

Just to refresh our memories.

[Auburn Boy]

Bird Flu Alert in 26 Nepalese districts.

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14840798

Bird flu alert in 26 districts in Nepal Tuesday, 20 January , 2009, 14:58 Last Updated: Tuesday, 20 January , 2009, 17:00 (Copyright AFP. Any unauthorised reproduction is prohibited.) Kathmandu: Nepal Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has issued bird flu alert in 26 districts bordering India in view of the possible spread of the disease. According to Nepal news, the ministry has said surveillance has been stepped up in points and highways in these districts in order to prevent the import of birds and poultry products from India. Bird flu confirmed in Sikkim Minister for Agriculture Jayprakash Gupta has asked international community and donor agencies to provide help to Nepal to fight the disease. He issued strict instruction to officials working at the Indo-Nepal border check points and quarantines in border areas to pay special attention to their task. Bird flu hits Nepal The culling operations started on Sunday to control possible spread of the disease. Some 1,500 birds have been culled so far. Nepal government has declared Mechinagar as emergency region after the blood samples of the birds in the area tested positive for avian flu in UK's laboratory. About 27,000 poultry culled in bird flu-hit WB Avian influenza commonly known, as bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses and it can also infect humans. Avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can quickly make domesticated birds sick and kill them.

More catching up..,

[Auburn Boy]

Culling in Nepal

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/...l-Bird-Flu.php

Nepal slaughters poultry after 1st bird flu case The Associated PressPublished: January 23, 2009 E-Mail Article Listen to Article Printer-Friendly 3-Column Format Translate Share Article Text Size KATMANDU, Nepal: Health workers have killed more than 23,000 chickens and ducks in southeast Nepal after authorities detected the country's first known instance of bird flu, officials said Friday. Nepal imposed a ban on poultry imports from India last year after there were several reported outbreaks there, but chickens are still routinely smuggled over the border. There have been no reports of humans affected, said Harihar Dahal, Ministry of Agriculture spokesman. Chickens near the town of Kakadbhitta, 250 miles (400 kilometers) south of the capital of Katmandu, tested positive earlier this month for the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, the first confirmed report in the country. Health officials moved quickly to slaughter birds that could have been infected, Dahal said. Today in Asia & Pacific Kim Jong Il showing he remains in chargeIndian leader's heart surgery successfulStrikes in Pakistan underscore Obama's options According to the latest World Health Organization tally, bird flu has killed 251 people worldwide since 2003. The H5N1 bird flu virus continues to devastate poultry stocks around the world. Bird flu remains difficult for humans to catch, but experts fear the virus might mutate into a new form that spreads easily among people.

And here it's begun..,

[Auburn Boy]

Like many countries before them, Nepal attempts to assuage the fears of the public..,

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite...B?OpenDocument

Nepal rules out spread of bird flu in eastern district Kathmandu, Jan 24 (PTI) Nepal has ruled out the spread of bird flu in the hilly district of Sankhuwasabha amid reports that the eastern region bordering China is faced with threats from the deadly virus. The authorities in Nepal, which has culled thousands of birds in Mechinagar municipality bordering India to check the spread of the flu, said they had no information about any case in Sankhuwasabha. Hari Dahal, spokesman at Nepal's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said the government had no information about bird flu cases in Sankhuwasabha. According to a report in the Kantipur online, there is panic among the villagers of Sankhuwasabha district bordering China over the possible outbreak of bird flu. Over 3,000 chickens have died in bordering VDCs, including Kimathanka, Hatiya and Chaipuwa in course of two months, and the number is increasing, veterinarian doctor Pushpa Bahadur Budathoki said. "We're not sure if we are dealing with bird flu here, though some symptoms are strikingly similar," he was quoted as saying in the Kantipur report.

[Auburn Boy]

New Phase of Nepalese campaign to erradicate bird flu.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...t_10717284.htm

Nepal starts second phase of anti-bird flu drive www.chinaview.cn 2009-01-25 14:19:35 KATHMANDU, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Authorities have launched a second-phase program to prevent the possible spread of bird flu in Jhapa district in eastern Nepal, where the disease was traced in chicken, nepalnews.com reported on Sunday. Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives said thousands of chicken and other birds were culled and poultry products destroyed in Mechinagar Municipality, Jhapa, some 320 km east of Kathmandu, during the first phase of the anti-bird flu drive. The 2nd-phase, which will continue for three months, will include cleaning programs in sensitive places like poultry firms and sales stores. The government had issued a bird flu alert in Mechinagar on January 16. Meanwhile, as part of the anti-bird flu surveillance, the Home Ministry has banned transportation of live birds and poultry products in buses and other public vehicles. The ministry said in a statement Saturday that police officials can take action against anybody found carrying chicken and other live birds while using public transport.

Now, we're pretty much caught up to date.

[Auburn Boy]

January 16 - Nepal Reports First Bird Flu Cases Among Poultry

January 20 - Bird flu alert in 26 districts in Nepal

January 23 - Nepal slaughters poultry after 1st bird flu case

January 24 - Nepal rules out spread of bird flu in eastern district

January 25 - Second phase of BF erradication program begun.

January 25 - First Human infection suspected. (Preliminary lab tests confirm.)

(Now the fun begins..,)

[Kassy]

FWIW...

No one infected by bird flu in Nepali capital: doctor

KATHMANDU, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- With panic spreading among the public about the bird flu, Nepali authorities confirmed Sunday no person has been infected with the virus and the virus has not spread in the capital Kathmandu, local media reported.

Director of the BP Koirala Institute of Health Science Dr BP Das rebuffed the rumors that two persons, being treated at the hospital, were infected with the avian virus (H5N1).

He clarified that the two were admitted into the hospital three days ago after being infected with pneumonia, not bird flu, eKantipur.com reported.

Dr. Das claimed that the media had unnecessarily created false rumors that the two patients had contracted the virus.

He also informed that the hospital had already contacted the government for the provision of additional manpower, tools and medicines, keeping in view the possible outbreak of the avian flu in people.

He added that the hospital has made preparations for a separate "Tropical Ward" for the treatment of avian flu, if needed.

Likewise, the government has confirmed that the avian virus has not been detected in the capital so far.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Hari Dahal said, "a few chicken died in the capital recently. We are carrying out the tests but it has not been confirmed yet as to whether the chicken died of the avian virus".

"After carrying out preliminary tests in Nepal, samples have been sent to the United Kingdom for the confirmation," he informed.

The government on Jan. 16 confirmed the outbreak of bird flu virus in the eastern district of Jhapa.


http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...t_10718944.htm

[Auburn Boy]

Now starts the usual spate of "he said, she said" Is it real or not?

One test shows "positive preliminary results for H5N1" next test says "all clear."

"After carrying out preliminary tests in Nepal, samples have been sent to the United Kingdom for the confirmation," he informed.

If the samples were negative, what confirmation do they want? Isn't it typical for samples that show negative on preliminary tests to be accepted?

[Auburn Boy]

Napal survives, or Nepal holds the wolf at bay..,

http://story.irishsun.com/index.php/...d/458284/cs/1/

Nepal survives human bird flu infection scare Irish Sun Sunday 25th January, 2009 (IANS) Nepal's health authorities Sunday calmed down fears that the bird flu virus had infected humans in the Himalayan republic after the official media said a man had been admitted to hospital with suspected bird flu infection. Balbhadra Das, director at the B.P. Koirala Institute for Health Sciences (BPKIHS), told IANS that the report by Nepal's national news agency Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) was wrong. The RSS had reported that a Nepali from Damak town in eastern Nepal's Jhapa district - where the first bird flu infection in poultry was reported officially earlier this month - was admitted to BPKIHS with suspected avian influenza. 'The speculation was triggered probably because bird flu was reported in Jhapa and the patient, Santosh Dahal, is from Damak, also in Jhapa district,' Das said. 'Dahal is actually suffering from bronchial pneumonia, some symptoms of which resemble bird flu. He is still under our care but not in any danger.' Nepal's epidemiology division also ruled out reports of any suspected bird flu infection among humans. 'We have opened a hotline to monitor the situation and get hourly updates,' said Manash Kumar Banerjee, a doctor. 'No human infection has been reported.' Over 18,000 chickens and ducks were slaughtered in Nepal in the past week after detection of the avian influenza virus in Mechinagar in Jhapa district bordering India's West Bengal state. The government has banned the sale of poultry products from Jhapa, announced a high alert in 26 districts adjoining India and stepped up an awareness campaign to keep the disease confined to Jhapa.

We shall see. All in due time.

[Kassy]

Foul play in fowl sale

Rastriya Samachar Samiti
Sarlahi, January 31:

Though the government has banned the import of fowls and poultry products from India after the detection of bird flu, a large number of chickens and eggs are imported into Sarlahi from India daily. They are being imported via Sangrampur and Parsa entry points of the district.

People have blamed the local administration and police for being silent spectators despite the massive import of Indian broiler chickens and eggs at a time when the hazard of bird flu has gripped the country. They said one truckload of Indian chickens and eggs enters the district everyday via Sangrampur and Parsa, from just in front of the police post. The smuggled chickens and eggs are sold in markets located along the East-West highway.

District Livestock Office chief Dr Ram Narayan Yadav, said teams of veterinarians will be mobilised in rural settlements along the border to control smuggling. Armed police personnel have already been mobilised said CDO Baliram Prasad Singh.

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/ful...eDate=20090201

[Kassy]

NEPAL - At least 232 chickens, one duck, 26 pigeons and 41 eggs were destroyed in Pathamari village of Jhapa district in eastern Nepal after the detection of bird fluin the locality, the National News Agency RSS reported on Wednesday.

Chief of bird flu control room, Jhapa, Indrakant Jha said a team led by chief of district livestock services office Dilip Sapkota destroyed the birds and poultry products on Tuesday.

According to the RSS, test conducted after sudden death of chickens in the locality had confirmed bird flu in the area five days ago, some 240 km east of Kathmandu.

Bird flu was detected for the first time in Nepal in kakarbhitta in the district nearly two months ago.

After the first outbreak of the disease in the country on 16 January, the government had declared emergency in affected area of Sarnamati village in Jhapa district in eastern Nepal.

http://www.farminguk.com/?show=newsArticle&id=13028

[Kassy]

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/ful...&NewsID=233573

Another outbreak in poultry.
Not named but probably H5N1.
No totals but it's happing over a number of villages.