NEWCASTLE DISEASE, GAME FOWL, POULTRY ­ - USA (WEST) (14)
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Date: 15 May 2003
From: Thomas E Walton  <Thomas.e.Walton@usda.org>
Source: official APHIS release [edited]


Subject: Emergency Management Warning 92: Exotic Newcastle Disease
Confirmed in the United States

Exotic Newcastle disease (END) was confirmed on 1 Oct 2002, in the State of
California, and has spread beyond backyard flocks to affect 22 commercial
operations in California.  On 16 Jan 2003, END was also confirmed in a
backyard flock in the State of Nevada.  A backyard flock was confirmed with
END on 4 Feb 2003, in the State of Arizona.  On 9 Apr 2003, END was also in
backyard fowl in Texas.

Clinical signs in infected birds include respiratory, nervous, and
gastrointestinal signs.  Mortality is up to 90 percent of exposed birds.
Investigations are ongoing, and all figures are pending final validation.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) personnel and other
federal government personnel are working with the States to consider
additional resources to meet the labor demands at the Task Forces.  APHIS
has implemented a plan for enhanced national END surveillance.

Current Statistics (as of 10:00 p.m. PST, 11 May 2003)
-----------------
Operations in Progress

Current Statistics: California / Texas / Total
Personnel Assigned: 1027 / 40 / 1067
Premises Currently Quarantined: 15 085 / 475 / 15 560
Current Positive Premises: CA:  355 backyard, 19 commercial, 1 backyard
TX: 0 commercial, 356 backyard, 18 commercial
Current Contact Premises CA: 352 backyard, 1 commercial, 2 backyard
TX: 0 commercial, 354 backyard, 1 commercial
Premises Pending Depopulation   8       0       8

Cumulative Statistics: California / Texas/ Total
Total Premises Quarantined: 17 275 / 493 / 17 768
Total Premises Released: 2259 / 1 / 2260
Total Positive Premises CA: 894 backyard (no change), 21 commercial (no
change), 1 backyard (no change)
TX: 0 commercial (no change), 895 backyard (no change), 0 commercial (no
change)
Total Premises Depopulated: 2430 (+7) / 41 (no change) / 2471 (+7)
Total Birds Depopulated: 3 492 545 (+465) / 1823 (no change) / 3 494 368
(+465)
Counties with Currently Positive and/or Contact Premises: Kern, Los
Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, El Paso

Completed Operations (Final Numbers) Arizona / Nevada   / Total
Total Infected Premises: 1 / 10 / 11
Total Contact Premises: 3 / 128 / 131
Total Premises Quarantined: 0 / 145 / 145
Total Premises Released: 61 / 9 / 70
Total Premises Depopulated: 4 / 138 / 142
Total Birds Depopulated: 269 / 2746 / 3015
Last Infected Premises Depopulated: 7 Feb 2003 / 29 Jan 2003 / n/a

Operational Update

Effective 7 Jan 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 17 Jan 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 10 Feb 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.

Effective 10 Apr 2003, APHIS imposed a federal quarantine that regulates
the interstate movement of all species of birds and poultry products from
all of El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, TX, and Dona Ana, Luna, and Otero
Counties, NM.  The federal quarantine was placed on counties beyond the
infected county due to their proximity to the infected county.

A quarantine was placed on a portion of New Mexico because of its proximity
to the infected area in the State of Texas

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

Currently there are still 19 commercial premises 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), 6
premises in San Diego County (6  infected), and 9 premises in San
Bernardino County (9 infected).

A backyard premises near the town of Mojave in eastern Kern County, CA, has
tested positive for END.  The premises has epidemiological links to Los
Angeles County, CA, which is currently in the quarantine zone.  The virus
had at the fusion protein cleavage site a multiple basic amino acid
sequence (SGGRRQKR/FVGAI) compatible with and similar to that of previously
isolated END viruses in Southern California.  The positive premises and
contact premises have been depopulated.   APHIS is developing an expansion
of the federal quarantine zone to encompass the southeast corner of Kern
County.

DNA sequencing analysis confirms that the Texas END outbreak was caused by
a separate introduction of virus and not by movement of virus from the
affected areas in California, Nevada, or Arizona.  Intensified surveillance
in El Paso County, TX, and the surrounding areas has yielded no further
positive cases, suggesting that our early detection and swift response has
worked well to contain and eliminate this outbreak.

Outreach Activities
The Task Force recently participated in celebrations in California Hispanic
and Latino communities to help educate citizens about END.  Approximately
500 000 people received Spanish-language educational materials at the
Fiesta Broadway event.  The Task Force also participated in the Cinco de
Mayo celebration in Lincoln Park.

END Task Force personnel passed out educational materials at their booth
during a Mother's Day celebration in Bakersfield, CA.  The sponsor of the
celebration was a local Spanish-language radio station.

In conjunction with the Task Force, the Texas Animal Health Commission in
Austin continues to send out information packets to stakeholder
organizations; most recently, the commission has mailed materials to feed
stores, veterinary clinics and pet stores.

The following link is to the State of California's END website.
<http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/ah/Newcastle_info.htm>

The following link is to the State of Nevada's END website.
<http://www.agri.state.nv.us/END.htm>

The following link is to the State of Arizona's END website.
<http://agriculture.state.az.us/newcastle.htm>

The following link is to the State of Texas' END website.
<http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_health/diseases/end/end.shtml>

Please forward this information to your federal, State, and industry
counterparts as necessary.

If you have any questions about this situation, please feel free to call
USDA, APHIS, VS, Emergency Programs at 800-940-6524, 301-734-8073,
or  e-mail at EMOC@APHIS.USDA.GOV.

--
Thomas E. Walton
<thomas.e.walton@usda.gov>

[see also:
Newcastle disease, game fowl, plty - USA (west) (13) 20030505.1121
Newcastle disease, game fowl, plty. - USA (west)(02) 20030211.0372
Newcastle disease, game fowl, plty. - USA (west)      20030206.0318
Newcastle disease, poultry - USA (TX): OIE (02) 20030425.1014
Newcastle disease, poultry - USA (TX): OIE      20030423.0987
Newcastle disease, game birds - USA (TX) (02): confirmed 20030410.0870
Newcastle disease, game birds - USA (Texas): suspect      20030407.0848
Newcastle disease, game birds, poultry - USA (CA) (06)  20030209.0353
Newcastle disease, poultry - USA: correction      20030428.1044
Newcastle disease, poultry - USA: EU import ban      20030427.1036]
........tg/pg/jw


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