2004-09-08
Vietnam
According to the September 7 World Health Organization (WHO) update on avian influenza, there have been informal reports of a laboratory-confirmed fatal case of influenza A (H5) infection in Vietnam, and further details are awaited from official sources. A total of four fatal human cases of H5 infection have been reported in Vietnam since August 2004. Three out of these four cases were confirmed H5N1 infection.
In Hong Kong, the imports of live birds and poultry meat from Vietnam have been suspended since January 2004.
Thailand
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Bangkok continues to report occurrence of new outbreaks of avian influenza in Thailand to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). During the period from August 5 to September 3, 61 new outbreaks had been reported and a total of 39,412 birds had been destroyed.
In Hong Kong, the imports of live birds and poultry meat from Thailand have been suspended since January 2004.
Malaysia
On August 25, 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia informed the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) that the spread of avian influenza in the country had been successfully handled. In response to the two dead chicken found infected with avian influenza H5N1 in the northeastern region of Peninsular Malaysia, 300 birds within the vicinity had been culled as a precautionary measure. For the rest of the country, the Veterinary Department of Malaysia has been conducting regular checks and tests on all poultry farms. The Ministry of Health of Malaysia reported that there was no human case associated with the disease found in Malaysia.
On September 6, there was a media report on a second outbreak of bird flu in Malaysia. CHP has contacted Malaysian authorities for more information.
In Hong Kong, the imports of live birds and poultry meat from Malaysia have been suspended since August 20, 2004.
Mainland China
On September 1, the OIE reported a reply from the Veterinary Authorities of the People’s Republic of China on additional details concerning the isolation of H5N1 strain of influenza virus in pigs. It was confirmed that one H5N1 strain was isolated in 2002 from materials collected from pigs in the Fujian province in 2001. Subsequently, 1936 samples were collected in 2003 from pigs in 14 provinces including Fujian and again one H5N1 strain was isolated from that province. These two isolates have been subjected to detailed analysis and have been shown to be highly homologous to the duck-derived H5N1 virus isolated recently in birds in China. No variation in the virus has been observed. As part of an ongoing epidemiological surveillance programme in China, 1.1 million samples including 4447 from pigs have been collected and analyzed between April and August 2004 from 10 provinces including Fujian, no infection from H5N1 has been detected in pigs. These findings do not at this stage indicate any major evolution regarding H5N1 infection in pigs. Nevertheless, the OIE emphasized the necessity for Member Countries affected by avian influenza to increase their epidemiological surveillance.
CHP continues to liaise with WHO, and authorities in Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand for further information and will inform the public of any important updates.