EUROPEAN LIVESTOCK AND MEAT TRADING UNION / EUROPÄISCHE VIEH- UND FLEISCHHANDELSUNION Bruxelles, 21st November 2007 N/Réf.: note N-147-2007-EN Objet: ANIMAL HEALTH: 1) Bluetongue Europe / FR / BE / DE 2) Avian influenza UK 3) Foot and mouth disease CY / UK 4) Classical Swine Fever - Croatia 5) Newcastle disease SW Bluetongue Europe / FR / BE / DE EUROPE An updated overview of the Restriction Zones, per bluetongue serotype, that have been put in place by the EU Member States is now available. The list of restriction zones per bluetongue serotype that have been demarcated by the EU Member States can be found in the following table. Information gathered by the implementation of the surveillance and monitoring programmes can be found on the BlueTongue NET work application. See also the presentation of the system given at the last Standing Committee of 20 th November is available here.
FRANCE Pale yellow zone Interdicted perimeters already in place for serotype 8 Bright yellow zone New interdicted perimeters for serotype 8 Blue zone Regulated zone for serotype 8 Hatched blue zone New regulated zone for serotype 8 Green zone Regulated zone for serotype 1 On 15 November, a first case of Bluetongue strain 1 has been reported in France, near the Spanish border, in the city of Villefranque (Department of Pyrenees Atlantique). This case is probably linked to the recent Spanish cases in the Irun region (Basque country in Northern Spain). As of 20 November, 9980 Bluetongue cases have been confirmed, the map nearby show the last bluetongue cases strain 8 (departments of Allier, Saône-et- Loire and Vienne) reported in the North of the Country. French Authorities has designated a new interdicted area. BELGIUM Below a table give a framework of bluetongue cases in Belgium listed by race animals and related geographic areas (as of 20 November).
GERMANY The website of the German Health Ministry has been updated and confirmed cases stand at 18407 as at 16 Nov 2007. Panorama of bluetongue cases in Germany actualized until 16 th November. Red points Blue points Red Yellow Confirmed cases Suspected cases Protection zone 20km Surveillance zone 150km Avian influenza UK On 16 th November the Chronology of Events in relation to Avian influenza edited by Commission services have been uploaded. Please by nearby the document on the avian influenza virus of the Asian lineage (H5N1) outbreaks in the EU in 2007. UNITED KINGDOM A 2 nd case of the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu has been confirmed at a farm. The virus was 1st discovered on 11 Nov 2007 at Redgrave Park Farm near Diss on the Norfolk-Suffolk border. Defra said the disease had now been confirmed at the nearby Hill Meadow Farm, Knettishall. The new infected premises is operated by the same company as the site of the 1st outbreak, and all 9000 turkeys had already been culled. A new 3 km protection zone around the fresh case has been established, and a wider surveillance zone covering both sites has also been imposed (see the map nearby). In total, more than 28000 birds were slaughtered following the suspected outbreak of H5N1, a variant of the disease capable of being transmitted to humans. The cull of poultry on 4 sites suspected of being infected ended on 18 Nov 2007. A 3 km protection zone and a 10 km surveillance zone have been set up and the farm is co-operating with vets. Defra are still waiting for the results of culls at 2 farms in Norfolk.
Foot and mouth disease CY / UK CYPRUS The foot and mouth disease virus does exist in Cyprus but is inactive and was probably brought over to the island from overseas or transported from the occupied north of the island. This was the conclusion drawn up by a panel of EU experts who yesterday met in Brussels to discuss the situation with Cyprus Veterinary Service officials. The fact that the virus is inactive originally raised the suspicion that it may have been brought over to the island in the form of vaccines, however the EU panel have all but ruled out the vaccine theory, with suspicions now being that it came from animals imported from abroad. A final verdict is expected within 2 weeks. Precautionary measures will remain in place until the end of the month in the Larnaca districts of Koshi and Aradipou. According to an earlier report of the Famagusta gazette, a positive sheep was allegedly detected in Koshi; this, in addition to the serologically positive sheep in Dromolaxia. This finding has not been officially notified. Checks will continue throughout the island and that any animals testing positive for the virus would be culled. Link to the presentation given by Cypriot authorities at the last Standing Committee of 20 th November is available here. UNITED KINGDOM A further amendment to Commission Decision 2007/554/EC was unanimously agreed by the Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) held on 20 November. Nearby a map showing proposals for FMD export areas (district/borough boudaries) for intra Community trade based on Commission Decision of 20 th November 2007. The new Decision should to come into force in about 14 days time. Link to the presentation given by English authorities at the last Standing Committee of 20 th October is available here.
Classical Swine Fever - Croatia CROATIA Croatian Authorities inform about the detection of two new outbreaks of classical swine fever in Krapina-Zagorje county, where no outbreaks have been detected before. Krapina-Zagorje county borders Slovenia, see the map for more details. On 15 November, because the clinical signs were not typical for CSF, samples were taken in order to rule out CSF. According to the laboratory results, pigs were found positive for classical swine fever on both holdings. As you can see on the map, at the moment only two areas are still under restricted because of classical swine fever in Croatia. Newcastle disease - SW SWEDEN On 17 November 2007 the Swedish Veterinary Institute (SVA) confirmed by PCR the presence of Newcastle disease in two small pigeon-houses of racing pigeons in the city of Malmo. Malmo is situated in the County of Skane, in the South of Sweden. The holdings are located in a small area owned by thè municipality, which is used only for racing pigeons; ali together there are 30 pigeon holdings in that area. No other animals than pigeons are allowed to be kept in this area. Measures according to Article 19, Directive 92/66/EEC were implemented. The area with 30 pigeon holdings was put under restrictions meaning standstill of all pigeons in that area and the pigeons have to be kept indoors: furthermore, only persons taking care of the pigeons are allowed to enter the area under specified hygienic measures. The pigeons on the two affected holdings were killed (30 and 28 pigeons, respectively) and destroyed 17 November. Preliminary disinfection of the affected houses was carried out 18 October. No zone was established. From preliminary investigations it appears that the affected pigeons were not vaccinated against the disease, while other pigeons in the area are. Both affected pigeon houses had clinical signs (diarrhoea) and death among the pigeons. There are no clinical signs resembling Newcastle disease among the other pigeons in that area. SECRÉTARIAT & CORRESPONDANCE: 81A rue de la Loi (bte 9) - 1040 BRUXELLES, Belgique Tel: +32 (0) 2 230 46 03 - Fax: +32 (0) 2 230 94 00 E-mail: info@uecbv.eu - Web: www.uecbv.eu