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Emergency Management Warning 22:
Exotic Newcastle Disease Confirmed in California
Officials with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) continue to
work closely on efforts to control the exotic Newcastle disease (END)
outbreak in Southern California. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
has instituted a quarantine zone that serves as a buffer around the
END-affected area in Southern California. The department has also declared
an extraordinary emergency to provide additional resources and authorities
to the eradication campaign for END in Southern California.
The disease was confirmed on October 1, 2002, and has now spread beyond
backyard flocks to affect five commercial operations. Clinical signs in
infected birds include respiratory, nervous, and gastrointestinal signs.
Mortality is up to 90% of exposed birds. Investigations are on-going and
all figures are pending final validation. Veterinary Services (VS) is
working rapidly to expand staff on the Task Force and is exploring all
options to send APHIS personnel, other federal government personnel, and
to work with the State on considering additional resources to meet the
labor demands.
Situation Update (From California's 5:00 p.m. PST, January 15,
2003, report):
Number of premises positive: 353 (up 2 from 1/15 report)
Number
of dangerous contacts: 863 (up 3 from 1/15 report)
Number of
premises released: 4 (no change from 1/15 report)
Number of
premises depopulated: 830
Premises waiting to be depopulated:
390
Birds depopulated to date: 678,466
(approximate)
Counties with positive flocks: Los Angeles,
Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego. and
Ventura.
Operational Update (as of 12:00 p.m. EST, January
16, 2003):
• Of the 1,220 premises designated for
depopulation, 68.0% have been completed.
• Four commercial flocks
have been confirmed with END in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego
Counties, CA. One commercial flock has been determined to be a contact
premises in Riverside County, CA.
• California Governor Gray Davis
declared a State of emergency in the fight against the END outbreak in
California. The emergency declaration will enable State agencies to pool
resources and work cooperatively with CDFA in addressing the response to
the incident.
• Effective January 7, 2003, APHIS imposed a federal
quarantine that regulates the interstate movement of all species of birds
and poultry products from Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San
Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties, CA. USDA has
declared an extraordinary emergency. The extraordinary emergency allows
USDA to apply federal authority within the State of California.
•
VS has worked with the U.S. Postal Service and commercial airlines to
affirm that poultry will not be able to move out of the quarantined
areas.
• State and animal health officials are conducting
door-to-door surveys to identify fowl and other birds in the affected
areas and are following up on epidemiological associations.
• To
date, depopulation, cleaning and disinfecting, and carcass disposal are
being conducted by CDFA and APHIS.
• CDFA has closed all poultry
exhibits, fairs, and expositions within the State of California's
quarantined area.
• Affected and exposed poultry are being
euthanized and double-bagged. Task Force members are disinfecting the bags
and transporting the carcasses to restricted landfills for
burial.
• Local commercial table egg layer birds and spent-hen
movements have been halted within the quarantined areas.
Outreach Activities:
• The Task Force is
intensifying its already significant community outreach and communication
efforts to better inform the public about END and how to avoid infection.
A contractor has been hired to work to improve outreach. Public meetings
are held regularly.
Definitions
Emergency Management Issue is for
information with no impact on APHIS Emergency Management Notice is an
ongoing incident with potential impact on APHIS Emergency Management
Warning is an ongoing incident with almost certain impact on APHIS |
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