|
Exotic
Newcastle Disease Home Page
Email
Us
Privacy
Statement EEO
Statement USDA | MRP
Return to Home
Page
|
|
Emergency Management Warning 32:
Exotic Newcastle Disease Confirmed in the United States
Exotic Newcastle disease (END) was confirmed on October 1, 2002, in the
State of California, and has now spread beyond backyard flocks to affect
six commercial operations in California. On January 16, 2003, END was also
confirmed in a backyard flock in the State of Nevada. 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 is working
rapidly to expand staff on the Task Force in the States of California and
Nevada and is exploring all options to send Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) personnel, other federal government personnel,
and is working with States to consider additional resources to meet the
labor demands. APHIS is developing a plan to enhance current national END
surveillance.
Nevada Situation (as of 5:00 p.m. PST, January 30, 2003)
END has been confirmed in a backyard flock in Las Vegas, NV. Nevada
does not have commercial poultry. Federal and State quarantines have been
established for all of Clark County and a portion of Nye County, NV. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture has also declared an extraordinary
emergency. APHIS and the State of Nevada have begun surveillance efforts
of the backyard bird population and have established a Task Force in
Nevada.
Number of premises positive: 7 (no change from 1/30
report)
Number of contact premises: 79 (up 16 from 1/30
report)
Number of premises released: 0 (no change from 1/30
repot)
Number of premises depopulated: 78
Premises waiting
to be depopulated: 8
Birds depopulated to date:
1,520
Counties with positive flocks: Clark
California Situation (as of 5:00 p.m. PST, January 30, 2003)
Officials with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
and APHIS continue to work closely on efforts to control the END outbreak
in Southern California. USDA has instituted a federal 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.
Number of premises positive: 449 (up 12
from 1/30 report)
Number of contact premises: 987 (down 1 from 1/30
report)
Number of premises released: 28 (down 4 from 1/30
report)
Number of premises depopulated: 1,295
Premises
waiting to be depopulated: 169
Birds depopulated to date:
1,667,542
Counties with positive flocks: Los Angeles, Orange,
Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and
Ventura.
Operational Update
* Of the 86
premises in Nevada designated for depopulation, 90.1% have been
completed.
• Of the 1,464 premises in California designated for
depopulation, 88.5% have been completed.
• 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.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
has declared an extraordinary emergency for the States of California and
Nevada. These declarations allow USDA to apply federal authority within
California and Nevada.
• Task Force personnel are conducting a
door-to-door campaign to identify affected premises. Epidemiological
investigations are ongoing. Entities that sell birds continue to be
monitored in affected areas. If a flock tests positive, officials will
quarantine the premises immediately and order the destruction of the flock
as soon as it is logistically possible.
• Once affected premises
are identified and birds humanely depopulated, affected areas are being
thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Landfills, composting, and rendering
are being used for safe disposal of affected birds and materials.
Outreach Activities
• Tribal Nations in the
States of Arizona, California, and Nevada have been contacted by APHIS
representatives and have been updated about the END situation. Continued
outreach information is being supplied to them on a continuous
basis.
• Task Force public information personnel are communicating
daily information on Task Force surveillance, depopulation, and cleaning
and disinfection operations to all affected City Managers in Southern
California.
• Currently, Task Force information personnel field
approximately 450 calls per week from the public. This is a twenty-fold
increase from the number of calls received in early October 2002.
•
Presently, the public information staff has nine public meetings scheduled
between now and March 10th. This is exclusive of meetings scheduled with
bird clubs and other industry associations.
• Task force public
information personnel are designing a door-hanger/information envelope for
use by field crews at individual residences in affected areas.
•
The Task Force's request to establish a contract with a public relations
firm for radio, direct mailing, print advertisement, and other specific
minority outreach activities was submitted to the FSO yesterday.
•
The Task Force's public information staff, in cooperation with LPA in
Riverdale, is preparing two new documents for distribution: The revised
END brochure (which has been updated to include new information and
photographs) and the END pest alert fact sheet. Delivery is anticipated
within the next three weeks.
• On a daily basis, the Task Force
information staff provides media updates to approximately 35 media outlets
in California.
• In Area Command alone, Task Force public
information personnel handle an average of 50 media calls per week.
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. |
|
|