Exotic Newcastle Disease
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Emergency Management Warning 38:

Exotic Newcastle Disease Confirmed in the United States

All information in the following Notice marked with an asterisk (*) identifies changes since the last Notice was sent out.

* Exotic Newcastle disease (END) was confirmed on October 1, 2002, in the State of California, and has now spread beyond backyard flocks to affect eight commercial operations in California. On January 16, 2003, END was also confirmed in a backyard flock in the State of Nevada. In addition, a backyard flock was confirmed with END on February 4, 2003, in the State of Arizona. 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 Arizona, 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 the States to consider additional resources to meet the labor demands. APHIS is continuing to develop a plan for national END surveillance. This plan will enhance the already extensive surveillance underway.

* Arizona Situation (as of 5:00 p.m. PST, February 9, 2003)

END has been confirmed in a backyard flock in La Paz County, AZ. APHIS is currently developing a federal quarantine for the affected area in Arizona. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has also declared an extraordinary emergency. APHIS and the State of Arizona have begun surveillance efforts of the backyard bird population and have established a Task Force in Arizona.

Number of premises positive: 1 (no change from 2/7 report)

Number of contact premises: 3 (no change from 2/7 report)

Number of premises released: 0 (no change from 2/7 report)

* Number of premises depopulated: 4

* Premises waiting to be depopulated: 0

* Birds depopulated to date: 289

Counties with positive flocks: La Paz

* Nevada Situation (as of 5:00 p.m. PST, February 9, 2003)

END has been confirmed in a backyard flock in Las Vegas, NV. Federal and State quarantines have been established for all of Clark County and a portion of Nye County, NV. USDA 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: 8 (no change from 2/7 report)

* Number of contact premises: 91 (up 2 from 2/7 report)

Number of premises released: 0 (no change from 2/7 report)

* Number of premises depopulated: 98

Premises waiting to be depopulated: 1

* Birds depopulated to date: 1,681

Counties with positive flocks: Clark

* California Situation (as of 5:00 p.m. PST, February 7, 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: 532 (up 17 from 2/7 report)

* Number of contact premises: 1,185 (up 122 from 2/7 report)

* Number of premises released: 10 (up 1 from 2/7 report)

* Number of premises depopulated: 1,465

* Premises waiting to be depopulated: 262

* Birds depopulated to date: 2,024,383

Counties with positive flocks: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura.

Operational Update

* 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.

* Effective January 17, 2003, APHIS imposed a federal quarantine that regulates the interstate movement of all species of birds and poultry products from Clark and a portion of Nye County, NV.

* * The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared an extraordinary emergency for the States of Arizona, California, and Nevada. These declarations allow USDA to apply federal authority within California and Nevada.

* * Of the 1,830 premises designated for depopulation, 85.6% have been completed.

* * A new commercial premises in San Bernardino County, CA, has been identified as positive for END. This new finding brings the total number positive commercial premises in California to 7 along with 1 contact commercial premises.

* * The dramatic increase in the number of contact premises for California is due to the designation of a new neighborhood flock in Little Rock, CA.

* 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.

* 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.

* APHIS is developing a plan to enhance national END surveillance. This plan will enhance the already extensive surveillance underway in California and Nevada. Currently, an ICP is being established in Arizona.

Outreach Activities

* * Task Force information personnel are sending information materials to the Central Valley Incident Command Post (ICP) for use in surveillance. In addition, a public information officer has been identified for assignment to the Central Valley ICP.

* Task Force information personnel coordinated a joint press release with an Indian Tribe to announce the newly designated infected backyard premises in Arizona. Since the announcement earlier this week, the information staff has received over 20 media calls related to the newly designated infected premises in the State.

* Public information staff provided liaison work for the Task Force with the Garden Grove Police Department in anticipation of Area Command's and the South Coast ICP's move later this month to a new facility.

* 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.

* On a daily basis, Task Force public information personnel are communicating information concerning 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 from early October 2002. On average, approximately 300 of these calls require follow-up action by the ICP's. 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.

* The Task Force information staff provides daily updates to approximately 35 media outlets in California. In Area Command alone, Task Force public information personnel handle an average of 70 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.