Avian Influenza Situation Updates: Archive

Last updated October 28, 2005

• Human Cases: Numbers at a Glance
• New News
• New USAID Actions
• Upcoming Actions

Human Cases: Numbers at a Glance

New News

• 	Indonesia vaccinated 114 million poultry against avian flu in 2004. Source: FAO

  New cases in Asia: Indonesian authorities confirmed this week the country's fourth human death from the H5N1 strain of bird flu. A Hong Kong lab also confirmed the test results on the 23-year-old man Monday. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is launching house-to-house searches for infected birds to tackle bird flu in Indonesia.
  
  
• Three possible human cases investigated in French territory near Madagascar: Preliminary results indicate that three citizens from the French territory La Reunion east of Madagascar have tested positive for the H5N1 virus. The three recently returned from Thailand where they visited a bird park before coming down with flu-like symptoms.
  
  
• Concern rises about the Rift Valley in East Africa: The deadly bird flu virus is expected to reach Africa as soon as the coming weeks or months because it is one of the main migratory routes for birds. The pattern of the virus's spread points strongly to wildfowl traveling southwest from northern Russia to east Africa.
  
  
• China reports bird flu outbreak in central Hunan province: China reported its third outbreak of bird flu in the past week after detecting the H5N1 virus in chickens and ducks in Wantang village in central Hunan province.
  
  
• Lethal bird flu confirmed in Croatia: The lethal H5N1 virus was discovered in six wild swans found dead at a pond in eastern Croatia last week. The swans were found in the nature park of Zdenci, some 124 miles east of the capital, Zagreb. In Eastern Europe, H5N1 has been confirmed in Turkey, Romania, Russia, Kazakhstan and now Croatia. There are suspected but unconfirmed cases of AI in birds/poultry in Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria and Macedonia. France, Slovenia, Hungary, Germany and Greece are also testing birds for the virus.
  
  
• Britain confirms first case of bird flu since 1992: In Britain, a South American parrot died of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in quarantine this week. The British environment agency's chief veterinarian has said the animal probably contracted the illness while being held in Britain with birds from Taiwan.

New USAID Actions

• Top USAID health official briefs Congress: Dr. Kent R. Hill, Assistant Administrator for Global Health, testified before the House International Relations Committee Thursday with State Under-Secretary for International Affairs Paula Dobriansky about their recent trip to Southeast Asia, where they met with foreign leaders to affirm U.S. commitment to a coordinated and comprehensive international response to the avian influenza threat. Dr. Hill also met with House Representative Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) to brief her on USAID’s efforts to date.
  
  
• USAID targets bird flu in backyard poultry farms in Indonesia: In Indonesia, USAID is partnering with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on a new campaign to target bird flu in backyard poultry farms in Indonesia. Of the $13.7 million obligated to prevent and contain avian influenza in Southeast Asia, USAID is providing $1.5 million for this initiative to train hundreds of animal health technicians to improve their capabilities to search out and quickly control avian influenza outbreaks.
  
  
• USAID field missions act quickly to identify funds for H5N1 response: The Bureau for Global Health’s Avian and Pandemic Influenza Management Response Unit provided guidance to all USAID field missions on the reprogramming of funds to support avian influenza containment and pandemic planning activities. This guidance was developed by the AI Unit in coordination with regional bureaus and approved by the AI Task Force.
  
  
• Top health officer for Europe and Eurasia participates in international conference: Harriett Destler, top Health Officer for the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia participated in an international conference on avian influenza in Copenhagen this week, sponsored by the European Union.
  
  
• Europe and Eurasia: USAID/ Romania is working to reprogram $500,000 in Fiscal Year 2005 funds to support avian influenza preparedness activities. Also, the Europe and Eurasia Working Group has developed an inventory of mission needs that lists the status of AI in each country, other donor activities, an outline of proposed USAID short-term activities and an estimate of funds needed.
  
  
• Asia and Near East: Under the sponsorship of Senators Obama (D-IL) and Murkowski (D-MD) the country director from CARE/Vietnam provided an update to Congress and USAID on Thursday. CARE encouraged more focus at the community level and need for more resources overall and especially for compensation to farmers for culling and to help create means of alternative income sources so farmers will be more willing to cooperate. CARE/Vietnam also met separately with the USAID Avian Influenza Unit on the H5N1 situation in Vietnam to share lessons learned and discuss areas of collaboration.
  
  
• Africa: On October 20, 2005, USAID missions in Africa joined a teleconference with FAO Veterinary Chief, Dr. Joseph Domenech. USAID Missions in Africa are moving ahead with plans to address AI. Many are supporting U.S. Government and ministerial task forces, collaborating with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), and working with FAO on animal surveillance. WHO-FAO also made a joint appeal for emergency funds to address new risks in countries with a special emphasis on Africa, particularly East (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, etc.) to increase surveillance especially along trade routes. While the threat in West Africa is marginal now, the threat will increase in the spring when wild birds from East Africa travel and meet with birds from Europe.
  
  
• Latin American and Caribbean: In El Salvador, USAID is working with the Ministries of Health and Agriculture and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to discuss the draft preparedness plan written by the Ministry of Health. Actions are also being coordinated with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), FAO and Organismo Internacional Regional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (OIRSA), and with representatives from the poultry industry. The Ministry of Health is seeking to create a national committee that will oversee the response should a human flu pandemic take place.
  
  
• USAID Global Development Alliance (GDA) reaches out to corporations: USAID is talking to consumer product companies that employ community health promoters to incorporate avian influenza information into their curriculum. Businesses can also help to extend these messages beyond their workplace, by educating communities near their facilities; training local farmers or getting messages out through their distribution channels. USAID is also in discussion with companies in the poultry and animal feed industry to improve bio-security measures and establish improved surveillance and control measures within their supply chains.
  
  
• USAID GDA explores rapid information collection activities: USAID is exploring partnerships with information technology and cellular phone companies to establish hotlines/command centers to strengthen the ability to detect AI outbreaks in remote areas.
  
  
• USAID/Ukraine working to provide assistance: The USAID mission in Ukraine is working with FAO to send an expert there and to Moldova to provide advice on responding to the threat of avian flu outbreaks.

Upcoming Actions

• USAID to brief African Ambassadors: Dr. Hill, Assistant Administrator for Africa Lloyd Pearson and Dr. Dennis Carroll, director of the Agency Avian and Pandemic Influenza Management and Response Unit will present at a USAID-sponsored meeting with African Ambassadors planned for October 31, 2005 to discuss the risks to Africa and recommended activities to enhance local preparedness.
  
  
• USAID asked to testify at Senate Hearing: Dr. Hill will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) next week on the Agency’s response to avian influenza.
  
  
• U.S. Delegation to attend WHO international conference on bird flu fund: USAID leaders will join other U.S. officials and government representatives from all over the globe at a WHO-sponsored meeting in Geneva in early November 2005 to discuss actions in support of a comprehensive and well-coordinated international response to avian influenza.
  
  
• USAID to participate in Australian bird flu meeting: A U.S. Government delegation, lead by the State Department with representatives from the Department's of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA), will include the Agency’s Regional Infectious Disease Advisor from Asia, will attend the "Avian Influenza Preparedness and Response" in Brisbane on October 31 and November 1. Australia aims to broaden and promote the role of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in mobilizing political commitment and resources to fight avian influenza in the region, and to collaborate with and complement the work of other international organizations and the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI).
  
  
• Regional Health meeting in El Salvador: A regional meeting of the health organization OIRSA is taking place in El Salvador on avian influenza. Ministers of health and agriculture from Central America will meet in San Salvador on November 11 to discuss avian flu and steps to be taken. USAID has reviewed the draft plan and is providing feedback to both the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization.
  
  
• USAID to meet with top WHO South-Asia health officials: WHO’s South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) leadership will meet with USAID staff in Washington, D.C. on Monday, October 31 to discuss emergency response plans for avian influenza, WHO regional activities, and ongoing containment efforts.
  
  
• U.S. Government team to visit Eurasia: In November, the Director of USAID’s Avian and Pandemic Influenza Management and Response Unit will lead a U.S. Government Delegation to Romania, Turkey, and other Eurasian countries where recent outbreaks of H5N1 were detected.