Captain Trips H5N1 - Russian Outbreak?

The head of the Veterinary Department of the Novosibirsk regional administration, Muhamed Amirokov, told Reuters on Friday specimens of dead birds were being tested by several laboratories in the region and outside it, and results could be expected in 3-4 days.

The 1st signs of a disease were found in poultry in 5 villages in Novosibirsk on 15 Jul 2005 and significant mortality detected by 18 Jul 2005. By 20 Jul 2005, more than 350 birds of various species (geese, ducks, turkeys, chickens) had died.

According to official data, more than 500 birds died in the Novosibirsk region as result of an avian influenza outbreak. 300 birds died in the [district] of Dovolenskiy [village of Suzdalka - Mod.NP], and 240 in the Kupinskiy district. This was announced by the regional press service of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry on Fri 22 Jul 2005.

"As of today we have no proof that we have bird flu. What we have is a disease of unknown origin. And we are keeping the situation under observation," Amirokov said. He said no quarantine had been imposed in the region, although some
"standard restrictive measures had been adopted." He declined to give details.

Russia does not produce enough poultry for domestic needs and imports over a million tons of poultry meat annually, mainly from the United States, the European Union and Brazil.

Avian influenza outbreaks caused by H5N2 strains have been reported recently from Japan, Italy, USA (Texas), South Korea, and South Africa. Italy was the country where the disease was 1st identified, more than 100 years ago. It now occurs worldwide.

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