Bird Flu Center

Alabama state officials have declared that the health department has prepared a batch of 500 thousand doses of antiviral medicine for the case of mutation of the bird flu virus which is ravaging Asia and is likely to spread to other parts of the world sometime in the near future. A further transport of 700,000 doses is expected within days of an official discovery of the virus in the state.

Dr Don Williamson, one of the State Health Officers, says that there is no proven bird flu vaccine at the moment, as an effective vaccine takes months to develop after an exact virus is identified. Williamson’s comments were made during a public health department-sponsored drill meant to simulate a bird flu outbreak in the area. Volunteers posing as victims were treated by trained health workers, who kept in touch with hospitals and health officials across the state.

The White House has released a report stating that the United States still have issues to address when it comes to a possible outbreak of avian influenza in the country. The country has provided crucial help to several other governments, however the report reveals that things such as the ability to perform rapid testing are still leaving a lot to be desired.

One of President Bush’s assistants, Dr Rajeev Venkayya has discovered that the US actually has limited surveillance capability. Also, with hospitals already overwhelmed with day-to-day patients, housing capabilities in the event of an emergency look insufficient.

The report also comes to reveal some positive aspects. The US Administration has allocated around one billion dollars for the upgrading of the country’s ability to mass produce vaccines. A joint agreement with Canada and Mexico is plausible, an agreement which would help the North American countries better coordinate the surveillance and eventual response to the virus.

US health authorities announced on Thursday that further tests carried out on samples taken from the ducks in Ohio revealed the fact that the birds did not carry a bird flu virus. However, US officials say it is likely that more low pathogenic occurrences of avian influenza will be found in the following months, as a large number of tests will be carried out on wild birds. Such low risk strains of bird flu are common in the United States, say scientists and this week alone, 12 samples from 6 different states have revealed traces of mild bird flu virus.

Traces of the low pathogenic H6N2 avian flu virus have been found on ducks in central Illinois, as a second batch of tests confirmed. The US government announced on Tuesday that the virus was found in 5 of the 11 birds that were sampled for bird flu. This is a common form of the virus that is frequently found in wild birds. The result is usually minor sickness or no noticeable disease for birds. Other states that have reported such occurrences this year include Michigan, Montana, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The results come as part of a massive campaign of testing wild birds in an attempt to detect any bird flu outbreak on US soil early on.

A number of pintail birds tested in Ohio have revealed traces of low pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus, as the US government announced on Saturday. The birds were tested as part of a nationwide plan of early detection of the disease, and come in addition to other case discovered so far in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Michigan. The birds appeared healthy as samples were collected just a week before in Ottawa County, just southeast of Toledo. Officials have given reassurances that this is not a case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus that is ravishing the Asian continent. A second batch of tests that could take up to three weeks to complete is expected to confirm the exact nature of the virus.

A final batch of tests was conducted to confirm the discovery of low pathogenic avian influenza virus on a flock of wild ducks in Montana. The tests confirmed that the H5N3 bird flu virus was found in two of the 16 birds from which samples were taken in Cascade County, Montana. Although the initial testing had revealed H5 and N1 subtypes, health authorities now declare that rapid screening tests are not accurate enough to correctly identify a specific strain of the virus. This year low pathogenic bird flu virus infections have been found in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The Department of Agriculture of the United States has announced the positive testing of 5 wild migratory birds in the state of Illinois for a strain of H5N1 bird flu virus. The birds in question are Green-winged Teals and the strain they host is believed to be a low pathogenic subtype of the feared virus. It is also claimed that this is not related to the avian influenza disease that has claimed the lives of over 150 people worldwide. The samples were collected form birds that appeared healthy and, as an announcement by the USDA on their official website reads, the virus found poses no threat to human health. The wildfowl was found in the Rice Lake Conservation Area of Fulton County, Illinois, and although 11 samples were initially collected, only 5 turned out to have traces of bird flu virus. As duck populations, including Green-winged Teal, are commonly hunted, the USDA states that there is no known health risk to hunters or hunting dogs from contact with such a low pathogenic form of avian influenza.

The bird flu virus might find its way into North America and the United States as early as this fall, an expert in the field warns. Sharon Medcalf, associate director of the Center for Biopreparedness Education in Omaha, says that it’s most likely not a matter of if, but when. Although it is not yet sure what a possible mutation of the virus could produce, it is very likely that the highly pathogenic H5N1 of the virus will be carried into the continent and the US by migratory birds during this fall or winter. The government has been closely monitoring migratory birds throughout the country, in an attempt to detect the disease at its earliest point of entry. It is not known how quickly the virus will be able to spread, but with the disease already detected in mammals such as cats and tigers, it is very possible it will find a way to be transmitted from person to person, causing a world epidemic.

US authorities have announced the confirmation of a low pathogenic form of bird flu resident in wild mallard ducks living in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. Apparently that form of the virus poses no risk to humans, as the US Agriculture and Interior departments have given reassurences on Friday. Testing have ruled out the possibility of the virus being the highly dangerous H5N1 strain of avian influenza, the one which is ravishing poultry populations in Asia and also causing high human death rates. Definitive testing will be done on the bird samples. This follows a similar case in the United States, as a couple of weeks ago a similar virus was found in two wild swans in the state of Michigan. Experts say highly pathogenic avian flu is unlikely to be found in the United States yet.

Routine tests on two wild swans form the shore of Lake Erie discovered the birds to be infected with a mild form of the avian influenza virus. It doesn’t appear to be the deadly Asian subtype that has ravaged poultry in the Eastern hemisphere, as initial testing ruled out the possibility of this being the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain. A local official confirmed the findings and said there is no reason to believe the virus could represent a risk to human health. Further laboratory tests are needed, however, and it is not until in two weeks time that a positive statement will be made as to the exact nature of the virus. The Unites States have a massive new program which is set to test up to 100,000 wild birds across the country, for an early detection of a possible entry of the feared H5N1 virus into North America. Waterfowl is known to be the virus’ natural host and wild birds are able to carry the virus for long distances along their path and pass it on to domestic poultry or other wild birds.

Routine surveillance in the state of Michigan has found some traces of a bird flu virus strain in some geese. US officials however state that the virus is not highly pathogenic and not the one that is doing the rounds in Asia currently. It is, they say, a strain that has been seen previously in North America. Health authorities also believe there is no relation between this and the bird flu forms seen currently in parts of Asia. The announcement was made by White House spokesman Tony Snow, previewing a news conference by officials from the Agriculture and Interior Departments.

Massachusetts scientists will travel to the Arctic shore in an attempt to further study the deadly bird flu virus. Specialists from a conservation science organization from Plymouth will head to Alaska this month to look for any signs of avian influenza in migratory birds which choose this path to return from Asia, the most affected continent by the disease. No sign of any infection has yet be found in the Western Hemisphere, but alarms are raised all across America. Birds which fly thousands of miles to breed on the Alaskan coast are being closely monitored - golden plovers, red knots, buff-breasted sandpipers, phalampes. These take advantage of rich food resources as well as a relatively protected environment. During the winter they fly south to settle on South Shore coastal areas and beyond. Some will eventually reach the tip of South America, giving reasons to fear that the virus could be transmitted anywhere on the continent.

Although scientists believe legal or illegal importation of domestic fowl is much to be blamed for the rapid spread of the virus through the Eastern Hemisphere, populations of wild birds migrating are also a source for the recent infections. China and Russia are the closest countries to Alaska to have suffered heavily from bird flu outbreaks in recent months. 

 

A batch of frozen poultry illegally introduced into the Detroit area from bird flu affected provinces in China has alarmed Michigan state authorities. It is likely that consumers have already eaten meat from this package, but proper cooking is known to destroy the avian flu virus, so concerns should be only mild. The frozen poultry consists of geese, ducks and chickens with their intestines still intact and was purchased by a warehouse owner in Troy which is the supplier for around 300 Chinese and Asian restaurants and grocery stores in Michigan. The owner has now disappeared and is facing criminal charges for his actions. It is unknown whether or not any of the meat was contaminated with the bird flu virus, but its origins are reasons for concern. Meat from the warehouse was destroyed by federal officials before it could be tested. The virus can survive in the birds’ intestines, but it is killed when the meat is thoroughly cooked.

An additional fund of 6.4 million dollars will be transferred to Georgia’s accounts to help the state prepare for a pandemic of bird flu or other form of influenza. 2.6 millions had already been given to Georgia in February, but extra funds were needed for the preparation effort which is done on a national level. State authorities will be given the chance to work with local communities and help them best prepare for such a pandemic. Late last year, the Congress approved a budget of 350 million dollars for a national plan of testing and developing methods of preventing the appearance of the disease on United States territory. Tamiflu and other flu medications are being stocked by federal authorities. States have to decide until August 1st if they also want to opt for Tamiflu supplies, but Georgia has not made such a decision so far.

 

An outline on how a bird flu outbreak might be recognized and contained has made New York City officials come up with a flu pandemic plan to help settle the way limited resources such as ventilators and antiviral medicine should be distributed in such a case. Considering the fact that the city is one of the main gateways to the United States and also one of the most densely populated cities in the world, citizens should take the possibility of an avian flu pandemic very seriously. NY City’s Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, said that the city would have to rely on itself rather than federal authorities and that the need to vaccinate people and inform them on the issue is stringent.

Experts say that in a worst case scenario there would be 2.5 million infected inhabitants of the city and more than 50,000 deaths. Medicine and specific equipment would then be difficult to obtain and it is known it would take several months for a vaccine to be developed after a new strain of the virus has been found. Early detection, achieved through communication with the city doctors, is very important, therefore the Department of Health has developed a system that monitors information such as ambulance runs, emergency room visits and pharmacy sales.

The state of California has placed an order of over 3.7 million treatment doses of anti-viral drugs which could help treat a human form of avian influenza in the unfortunate event of a pandemic in the region. The state’s budged, recently passed, has set aside 53.3 million dollars for a stockpile of such drugs, which are apparently needed to protect against a potentially deadly outbreak of the disease. Tamiflu and Relenza are the preferred choices for treatment, being the two most common treatments to have had some proven results so far in the battle against the feared virus. A plan proposed last fall establishes that the federal government will pay 25% of the cost of the treatments, and the states will have to cover the rest of 75%. A separate national supply will also be purchased by the federal government and made available to states later on. An outbreak of influenza is a real possibility, experts warn, especially as the virus has the ability to mutate into new strains which could possibly be transmitted very easily from person to person, causing a world pandemic which could kill millions.

A plan encompassing 205 pages has been prepared by the state of Tennessee, setting the way in which thousands of health care workers and others should deal with a virus that might spread faster than it would be possible to contain it. Although no expert can pinpoint an exact moment when the virus will rapidly spread beyond Asia and hit the United States during a world pandemic, measures are being taken nationwide to prevent this from happening. The state’s plan deals with the way patients should be placed under quarantine, how vaccine should be distributed and to whom and the way agencies should coordinate their efforts. Exercises are being planned for the following winter and the local effort must be in tune with the national one.

Predictions say 3 in every 10 inhabitants of Tennessee would be infected by the virus and the death toll could be between 4,000 and 38,000. About 900,000 people could seek outpatient care, and almost 200,000 might require hospitalization. Medical treatment for the disease is still to be researched and produced, but in the meantime, it’s comforting to see local and state authorities take actions against such an unfortunate event.

Hundreds of migratory birds, mainly Canada geese, are being tested by the state of Maine to detect any possible avian flu infection. Canada geese, Arctic terns, common eiders and black guillemots are the main species tested by Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologists, an action set in place to check for early signs of the bird flu virus, before it has a chance to reach Maine’s commercial bird flock.

The program is set to last to the end of the year and thousands of birds are expected to be tested in that period. A pond near Rockport which hosts almost 100 Canada geese was visited by experts in a time when the birds are molting, making it more easy to capture them. Fecal samples are required for the testing of the birds, with the samples then being sent to a laboratory in Connecticut, and the results eventually reaching the United States Agriculture Department. Canada geese are most likely to mingle with other species of migrating birds, so they are the highlight of these tests. Besides that, there is a fair number of them and they are quite easy to catch. So far no birds in Maine or any other state have tested positive for the H5N1 strain, the virus which has devastated poultry flocks in other parts of the world.

The latest estimates predict Illinois will be no stranger to bird flu, as the central part of the state could be hit by the disease as early as September, with migratory birds flying down the Illinois River waterway. Therefore, health officials are recommending all households have two to three weeks of supplies for the unfortunate event of widespread quarantines. One chief officer of the American Red Cross stated how important these measures are, as health organizations all over the world are watchful for the disease’s evolution. Because the virus is mutating very fast, no one can be sure when a new strain will develop and cause a world pandemic.

Therefore, alarms must be sent to inform the population and contain the damage that such an event may cause. Normally, Red Cross recommendations say a household should have three days of supplies, but with the threat of bird flu, a possible interruption of basic services might occur, so up to three weeks of supplies are advisable, including food, water and medicine.

Biologists from Nebraska’s Game and Parks are starting to test the state’s fowl for the deadly bird flu disease, in an action which is part of a national program seeking to learn if there is any danger of the virus spreading to North America. Nets are being set up to trap migratory birds, with samples from birds such as killdeer being collected and then sent to a laboratory in Lincoln. Birds breeding in Siberia during the winter time follow a migratory path through the American state and are of particular interest to scientists.

The greatest concern that experts have is that a new flu strain might develop to be easily passed from human to human, thus leading to a world pandemic. The federal government is providing the funds for live testing in every state during this summer and fall, and the fund allocation for Nebraska alone reaches 100,000 dollars. The high amount is due to the fact that this state is in the main flyway of most migratory fowl. 1,000 different birds will be tested in the state over the next months, including ducks, geese, Sandhill Cranes and smaller shore birds.

In an attempt to fully prepare for a possible bird flu outbreak, Minnesota public and health officials are recording a public health announcement in six different languages, aiming to address people who raise chickens at their homes. It is reported that most major poultry producers have biological security measures put in place already. However, industry officials are worried that migratory birds could also infect backyard flocks. Although experts have warned that consumption of poultry meat properly handled and cooked poses no risk to humans, poultry consumption has plummeted in many countries. Local health departments and other agencies are trying to reach new immigrants, using a program that will air from 7pm to 9pm, Aug. 27 on Twin Cities Public Television. The show will be aired in Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Lao and Khmer, featuring English captions. It has been known that many ethnic groups are raising their own poultry, as well as going to live-bird markets, which has led to the planning of such a program.

Wichita Falls County (Texas) has received a state government grant to help local authorities sketch a plan to prepare for a possible bird flu outbreak. 29,000 dollars have been deemed necessary for supporting local actions to make sure when push comes to shove everything is handled as best as possible. 8 months ago President Bush had asked Congress for a supplementary 7.1 billion dollars towards an emergency fund to combat a possible spread of the disease to the United States. One local official says Wichita Falls’ actions are only part of the national strategy meant to prevent the illness to cause havoc in America.

Health officials have acknowledged that the greatest concern about the H5N1 virus is that mutations will allow it to easily be passed from human to human. The grant money the county has received will go towards training materials, like a new television and DVD player, as well as outreach activities and personal protective equipment.

While no bird flu case has yet been found on United States territory,  Florida’s Brevard County residents can rest assured everything is being made to prevent the deadly disease from spreading to their area. Health and safety officials at the Space Coast chapter of the American Red Cross are drawing up a plan to be ready in September, in an attempt to prevent avian flu from affecting the region.

The threat is believed to be higher in November, when flocks of migratory birds will travel across the state, thus possibly infecting local fowl with the deadly virus. As local officials agree it is not a matter of if, but when, the county wide plan will include a public education phase during which law enforcement agencies, as well as medical staff, non profit organizations, school boards, etc. will be given extended information about the issue and their individual responsibilities. Estimates indicate that during a worst case scenario around 30-40% of health staff and public officials may not be available, but services will have to be kept running, so from law enforcement to hospitals, every facet of local administration will have to be ready for a possible outbreak.

North America has also been so far spared of the deadly virus. Spreading as wide as an entire continent, the United States do however have the advantage of being able to provide enough financial support for the prevention effort and benefit from a population with a high level of awareness. The U.S.A hold a great responsibility as they administer Alaska, a territory situated on the wild birds’ main migratory path from Asia. Funds have been directed by federal and state authorities towards projects meant to study the virus, its spread and development, and to closely monitor waterfowl for possible occurrences of the virus.

Also, in states and counties across the country, local officials, coordinated by national institutions are organizing workshops and training seminars to inform and prepare both the population and health staff for the case of an avian flu pandemic. The United States have also greatly contributed to the international effort to combat the disease, providing financial aid for many countries, sending medical equipment and specific drugs to those in need, while U.S. scientists are bringing their contribution to researching and developing a vaccine for the virus.

With every day stories and recent documentaries highlighting the threat of wild bird population becoming exposed to the much feared bird flu virus, Mississippi residents are fearing they too could be faced with the disease, as the area hosts a great habitat for migratory birds. The Gulf Coast is home to many species of shore birds and is a respite for migratory waterfowl, with the endangered Mississippi Sandhill Crane living in the region. Local wildlife biologists admit their concern, but also the fact that no detailed plan for dealing with the avian flu has been formulated yet.

Experts however feel the need to address the population and inform panic is not necessary. Many households keep bird feeders in the back yard and although the H5N1 virus is unlikely to affect wild birds yet, normal hygiene measures should be maintained, keeping the bird feeders clean so as to reduce the risk of other illnesses such as salmonella. There is a slight concern that the virus could come to North America via migratory paths across Alaska, but the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and public health agencies are closely working together on testing thousands of shore birds and waterfowl.

Freetown’s Board of Health representatives are meeting with local departments, such as the police and fire department, along with schools representatives, to come up with a comprehensive plan on how to deal with the feared disease. The decision runs along the lines of other states and counties across the United States to review their emergency response procedures to an avian flu outbreak.

The upper counties of Iron, Dickinson, Delta and Menominee have organized a simulation to practice health safety measure for the event of a flu pandemic. In Delta County, OSF Saint Francis Hospital officials, aided by the Department of Homeland Security and other official institutions, used a conference room to turn it into a headquarter for coordinating the situation. Although the simulation followed a certain plan, most officials were not aware of the exact nature and sequence of events and treated the situation very realistically. One of the organizers of the event said the aim was to stimulate the thought process and see what type of preparedness the community had.

Contra Costa County officials in California have set up a plan designed to prepare local school for the event of a massive bird flu outbreak. The initiative was born from the growing worldwide concern over the issue and the predictions that a flu pandemic is not a distant possibility. The guidelines are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from the American Red Cross and form local health offices.

They state that campuses should closely monitor the disease and offer clues as to what can people do to prevent the spread of the virus. A local spokesperson said it is a positive step forward, as in the event of a pandemic there will not be enough time to develop safety plans. The guidelines say after the first occurrences of the virus, schools should start their program by screening children and teachers alike for flu symptoms and tracking flu-caused absences, which should be logged and sent periodically to the health department. When more than 30 % of students are missing because of the flu, a campus should be shut down completely.

Residents of Grand County, Indiana will be given the chance to get informed on bird flu and all the stories linked to it, as a free symposium will be organized at Indiana Wesleyan University’s Phillippe Performing Arts Center. The initiative belongs to the state Department of Health and Bruce Brender, one of the organizers, says it is a good opportunity to get the correct and essential information out to the public, which is a sign the county is doing something about the issue.

The event will consist of a brief overview of bird flu and what the county has planned to prevent the appearance in the state of Indiana. 15 minute lectures will be held by a few experts and then the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and get more information on the subject. Another goal of the presentation is to discard some of the rumours which surround the disease, as recent documentaries on the subject have only added to the concerns of the general public.

With the concern of bird flu ever more present, a hospital in the state of Louisiana has decided to carry out a drill to test its awareness in the case of such an emergency. The staff of Christus Schumpert Hospital were sent fake e-mails to announce a possible bird flu outbreak. The procedure required the isolation of patients with suspicions of such infections and a mock command center was set up to coordinate the process. Homeland security workers were present to evaluate the situation and organizers say they were happy with the results. They say the drill proved useful and the information gathered from the experience will be shared with hospitals across Louisiana.