Exotic Newcastle Disease
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Emergency Management Warning 47:

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 17 commercial operations in California. On January 16, 2003, END was also confirmed in a backyard flock in the State of Nevada. 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 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 has developed a plan for nation END surveillance. This plan will enhance the already extensive surveillance underway.

Situation Update (as of 5:00 p.m. PST, February 24, 2003)

	Arizona	California	Nevada	Grand Total
* Number of premises positive	1 (no change from 2/24)	* 700 (up 6 from 2/24)	8 (no change from 2/24)	* 709 (up 6 from 2/24)
Number of contact premises	3 (no change from 2/24)	* 1,303 (up 3 from 2/24)	* 126 (up 5 from 2/24)	* 1,432 (up 3 from 2/24)
Number of premises released	0 (no change from 2/24)	10 (no change from 2/24)	0 (no change from 2/24)	* 10 (no change from 2/24)
Number of premises depopulated	4	* 1,835	134	* 1,973
Premises waiting to be depopulated	0	* 178	0	* 178
Birds depopulated to date	239	2,437,124	2,559	2,439,922
Counties with positive flocks	La Paz	Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Bernardino San Diego Ventura	Clark

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.

* Effective February 10, 2003, APHIS imposed a federal quarantine that regulates the interstate movement of all species of birds and poultry products from all of La Paz and Yuma Counties and a portion of Mohave County, AZ.

* 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 Arizona, California and Nevada.

* Currently there are 17 commercial flocks in the State of California affected by END. The breakdown of the commercial premises involved is as follows: 4 premises in Riverside County (3 infected and 1 contact), 5 counties in San Diego County (5 infected), and 8 premises in San Bernardino County (8 infected).

* * Of the 2,141 premises designated for depopulation, 92.2% have been completed.

* The Central Valley Incident Command Post in Modesto, CA, is staffed and working cooperatively with approximately 15 – 20 county officials to implement efficient surveillance measures throughout the Central Valley.

* The Agriculture Multi-Agency Coordination (AgMAC) Group met on February 12, 2003, to discuss interagency agreements and agency resource allocations. The AgMAC is scheduled to have a follow-up meeting on February 26, 2003, and will meet weekly to address issues as they emerge.

* 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.

* Task Force personnel, in close collaboration with the California State Highway Patrol, are exploring the possibility of establishing inspection stations on Interstate 5. Personnel are also discussing border control and voluntary compliance issues.

* APHIS has developed a distributed a plan to enhance national END surveillance. This plan will enhance the already extensive surveillance underway in Arizona, California and Nevada.

* CDFA's Division of Fairs and Expositions has issued an official recommendation that the California Fairs Boards adopt a local policy to suspend all poultry shows for the 2003 fairs seasons.

Outreach Activities

* Thirty-second Public Service Announcements (PSA) will begin airing on both Spanish- and English-language television stations in Southern California. The announcements encourage citizens to report any sick or dying birds.

* Thirty-second PSA's will begin airing on Spanish-language radio stations in the greater Southern California radio market area.

* Public information officers provided on-site support to depopulation crews within the designated area in Little Rock, CA.

* Task Force information staff sent Power Point presentations on biosecurity for commercial and backyard premises to all Incident Command Posts.

* 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.

* 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 four additional public meetings scheduled between now and March 10th. This is exclusive of meetings scheduled with bird clubs and other industry associations.

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.