H5N1

Mexico: 500,000 chickens to be vaccinated against H7N3

Via El Universal: Vacunarán a 500 mil aves contra gripe aviar en Michoacán. [500,000 birds to be vaccinated against avian flu in Michoacán] This a state neighbouring Guanajuato, where the outbreak has so far been contained. Excerpt, with my translation:

La delegación en Michoacán de la Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (Sagarpa), anunció este miércoles que la próxima semana se vacunarán contra la gripe aviar un total de 500 mil aves ponedoras de granjas del estado. 

The Michoacán office of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fish and Alimentation (Sagarpa) announced this Wednesday that it will vaccinate a total of 500,000 poultry in farms within the state.

Esteban Cruzaley Díaz Barriga, delegado de la Sagarpa, aseguró que hasta hoy el fenómeno de la gripe aviar no se ha detectado en la entidad, pero señaló que la vacuna es una medida de prevención. 

Esteban Cruzaley Díaz Barriga, spokesperson for Sagarpa, said that as of today the avian flu has not been detected in the state, but the vaccine is a preventive measure.

La Sagarpa establecerá cuatro unidades móviles para la vacunación y atención de las aves en la entidad.

Sagarpa will establish four mobile units to vaccinate and inspect birds in the state.

Mexico slaughters 1.2 million chickens infected with H7N3

Via CNN.com: Mexico slaughters 1.2 million chickens infected with bird flu. Excerpt:

Mexican authorities say they've slaughtered more than a million chickens infected with bird flu. 

Investigators detected the virus in 18 farms in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, Mexico's Agriculture Ministry said this week. 

Chickens there were infected with the H7N3 virus, which Mexican authorities said does not pose a threat to humans. 

"This virus is exclusive to birds, so there is no risk for public safety," the Agriculture Ministry said earlier this month. 

Authorities offered different tallies of how many infected birds had been slaughtered. 

Agriculture Minister Enrique Martinez said Monday that more than 2.1 million chickens had been killed -- including 519,000 egg-producing chickens, 722,265 breeding chickens and 900,000 chickens raised for meat. 

On Tuesday, Javier Usabiaga Arroyo, a state agriculture official, said the total number of infected chickens killed was about 1.2 million, Mexico's state-run Notimex news agency reported. 

Officials have vaccinated 1.9 million birds since the outbreak began earlier this month, and they plan to vaccinate millions more, the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement this week.

Mexico: B2B H7N3 still spreading

Via El Universal, a February 25 report: Pilgrim’s reporta gripe aviar en su granja de Guanajuato. [Pilgrim's reports avian flu in its Guanajuato farm] So it's spread beyond just the Bachoco farms. Excerpt, with my translation:

A doce días de darse a conocer el nuevo brote de gripe aviar, la empresa Pilgrim's reportó el contagio en sus granjas cercanas a la zona donde se dio el brote primario, informó Enrique Sánchez, director del Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (Senasica) de la Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (Sagarpa). 

Twelve days after the announcement of the new outbreak of avian flu, the Pilgrim's corporation has reported the disease in the farms near the original outbreak, according to Enrique Sánchez, director of the National Health, Safety, and Agroalimentary Service of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fish, and Food.

"Resultó positivo en una de sus unidades reproductoras y al igual que Bachoco, informó de forma inmediata para tomar las medidas necesarias", dijo. 

"A positive test result was found in one of its breeding unit, and like Bachoco, the company reported immediately to take necessary measures," he said.

En un comunicado la firma Pilgrim's Pride Corporation reportó haber detectado un incremento en la mortalidad en sus lotes de aves reproductoras localizadas en el estado de Guanajuato. 

In a news release, the Pilgrim's Pride Corporation reported having detected an increase in mortality in its Guanajuato breeding sites.

"Nuestro equipo directivo está trabajando de manera estrecha con las Autoridades en esta materia, haciendo pruebas de sangre en las aves, con la finalidad de confirmar la presencia del virus H7N3; y ya se han tomado medidas preventivas", detalló.

"Our executive team is working closely with the authorities about this," it said, "making blood tests on the birds with the goal of confirming the presence of H7N3; and we are taking preventive measures."

Here's the story in English at WorldPoultry.net. Wikipedia tells me that Pilgrim's is the largest chicken producer in the US and the second largest in Mexico. It's also a subsidiary of JBS, a Brazilian corporation that recently took over management of a major Canadian meat packer in Alberta after a long siege of E. coli.

Mexico: H7N3 outbreak now in 13 farms

Via El Universal: Suman 13 granjas con gripe aviar. [Farms with avian flu total 13] Excerpt, with my translation:

El Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (Senasica) informó que de las 34 granjas que han sido inspeccionadas en Guanajuato, se ha detectado influenza aviar A-H7N3 en 13, todas de la empresa Bachoco. 

The National Service of Agroalimentary Health, Safety and Quality [Senasica] reports that of 34 poultry farms inspected in Guanajuato state, H7N3 avian flu has been detected in 13, all belonging to Bachoco.

Al dar un reporte del operativo implementado en el estado por el brote de gripe aviar, especificó que en total han sido vacunadas un millón 900 mil aves y han sido sacrificadas 735 mil 237. 

In a report on the operations implemented in the state because of the outbreak, Senasica said that 1.9 million birds have been vaccinated and 735,237 have been culled.

Añadió que hasta el momento se han analizado 2 mil 700 muestras de laboratorio para constatar o descartar la presencia de la enfermedad en las granjas supervisadas, de las cuales 21 están libres del virus. 

It added that at the moment 2,700 lab tests are under way to confirm or deny the presence of the disease in the supervised farms, of which 21 are free of the virus.

El Senasica explicó que, así como lo señaló el titular de la Sagarpa, Enrique Martínez, el virus se mantiene contenido en las granjas de Bachoco. 

Senasica said that as stated by the head of Sagarpa, Enrique Martínez, the virus remains contained in the farms owned by Bachoco.

Añadió que ayer se enviaron a la región 20 millones de vacunas —adicionales al millón 900 ya utilizadas— para aplicarse como medida preventiva.

It added that yesterday 20 million vaccine doses were sent to the region, in addition to the 1.9 million already used, as a measure of prevention.

If you read Spanish, you may want to check Bachoco's website for its avian flu FAQs. This is a big company, with 800 poultry farms across Mexico, and it seems to handling the crisis communications challenge pretty well.

Mexico: Egg prices rising because of H7N3

Via El Universal: Reportan alzas en huevo. [Rise in egg prices reported] Excerpt, with my translation:

Al menos cinco entidades del país reportaron incrementos en el precio del kilogramo de huevo, que en algunos casos representaron entre 20% y hasta 60%, indicaron cámaras y asociaciones de comerciantes. 

At least five states in the country have reported increases in the price per kilogram of eggs, in some cases rising between 20 and 60 percent, according to business associations.

En tanto, la Secretaría de Desarrollo Agropecuario de Guanajuato aseguró que el brote de gripe aviar AH7N3, que golpeó a 12 granjas de Bachoco, “está prácticamente controlado”, pero se mantienen los cercos restrictivos. Además 480 mil aves han sido sacrificadas y 789 mil 500 gallinas fueron vacunadas. 

Meanwhile, the Secretariat of Agribusiness Development in Guanajuato said that the outbreak of H7N3 avian flu that struck 12 Bachoco farms "is practically controlled," but checkpoints are being maintained. As well, 480,000 birds have been culled and 785,900 chickens have been vaccinated.

Ayer, por tercer día consecutivo, no se registraron nuevos casos y continuaba la supervisión en 22 granjas. En su último reporte, la Senasica informó que prevalece la cifra de un millón 20 mil aves enfermas. 

For the third consecutive day, no new cases were reported yesterday and surveillance continued on 22 farms. In its latest report, Senasica said the number of infected chicken, 1.2 million, remained unchanged.

Entidades como Guanajuato, Colima, Morelos, Jalisco y Nuevo León reportaron alzas en el costo del huevo en las últimas 24 horas.

States including Guanajuato, Colima, Morelos, Jalisco and Nuevo León reported increases in egg prices in the last 24 hours.

Mexico: If H7N3 not controlled, "economic damage will be national"

Via El Universal: Gripe sube precio de huevo en 9 entidades. [Flu raises egg prices in 9 states] Excerpt, with my translation:

El brote de influenza aviar AH7N3 en Guanajuato ya afectó el precio del huevo en el Estado de México y el Distrito Federal, así como en entidades del centro y occidente del país, advirtió Víctor Guillermo Hernández, presidente de la Asociación Nacional de Tiendas de Abarrotes. 

The outbreak of H7N3 bird flu in Guanajuato has now affected egg prices in the State of México and the Federal District, as well as in central and western states, warned Víctor Guillermo Hernández, president of the National Association of Grocery Stores.

En entrevista, indicó que desde este fin de semana los consumidores pagan más por el kilo de huevo en Guanajuato, Querétaro, Colima, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit y Aguascalientes, entre otras entidades del país. 

In an interview, he said that since last weekend consumers are paying more for a kilo of eggs in Guanajuato, Querétaro, Colima, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Aguascalientes

“Hace ocho días el precio del huevo oscilaba al mayoreo entre 18.50 y 19 pesos, y el sábado pasado ya andaba al mayoreo sobre 22 pesos. Nosotros lo estábamos vendiendo ya sobre 24 o 25 pesos el kilo”, dijo. 

"Eight days ago the price of eggs was mostly between 18.50 and 19 pesos [US$1.46-1.50], and last Saturday it was over 22 pesos [US$1.74] We've been selling it now over 24 or 25 pesos [US$1.89-$1.97] per kilo," he said.

Mencionó que si el brote de gripe no es controlado en el corto plazo, el daño económico será nacional.

He added that if the outbreak is not quickly controlled, the economic damage will be national.

Mexico: H7N3 still spreading

Via El Universal: Guanajuato instala patrullas zoosanitarias por gripe aviar. [Guanajuato sets up animal health patrols for avian flu] Excerpt, with my translation:

El gobierno del estado instaló ocho patrullas zoosanitarias en las carreteras del norte del estado para detener la movilización de aves y de los subproductos avícolas, luego de que en tres días la gripe aviar se expandió a otras cinco granjas, en dos municipios más, y llegó a un millón 80 mil la cifra de aves enfermas en doce productoras. 

The state government has set up eight animal health patrols on the highways in the north to halt the movement of poultry and poultry products, after three days in which avian flu has expanded to another five farms, in two more cities, and has infected 1,080,000 birds in twelve farms.

El secretario de Agricultura y Desarrollo Agropecuario del Estado, Javier Usabiaga Arroyo, señaló que se están reforzando las medidas de control para que la enfermedad no se siga extendiendo a otros municipios, ni a otros estados.

Javier Usabiaga Arroyo, the state Secretary of Agriculture and Agribusiness Development, said that control measures are being reinforced so the disease won't keep spreading to other cities, nor to other states.

This outbreak is spreading very rapidly. The report goes on to say it was first detected last Wednesday, February 13, in two farms; by Friday it had sickened 486,000 chickens.

Mexico: H7N3 outbreak is spreading

Via Milenio.com: Avanza gripe aviar. [Avian flu advances] Excerpt, with my translation:

Guanajuato • El brote de la influenza aviar (H7N3) expandió su contagio a 7 granjas de Bachoco en Guanajuato y contaminó a 720 mil aves que tendrán que ser sacrificadas para evitar que siga propagándose. 

The outbreak of H7N3 avian flu has expanded to 7 Bachoco-owned poultry farms in Guanajuato, infecting 720,000 chickens that will have to be sacrificed to keep the disease from spreading.

El cerco se mantiene en 13 puntos del estado de acceso a Guanajuato que están en alerta, y se reforzaron las medidas sanitarias en los Puntos de Verificación e Inspección, para frenar que se movilicen aves vivas, sus productos y subproductos sin control oficial. 

Barriers are up at 13 points in the state that give access to Guanajuato, and sanitary measures have been reinforced at the Checkpoints of Verification and Inspection, to stop unsanctioned movement of live chickens and their products and subproducts.

El gobernador del estado, Miguel Márquez Márquez, confirmó el crecimiento en el número de aves enfermas por el tipo de gripe que se las contagió. 

State governor Miguel Márquez Márquez confirmed the growth in the number of birds infected with H7N3.

Las aves enfermas fueron detectadas en las granjas de Bachoco en Dolores Hidalgo y San Felipe, que este municipio está a una hora de León. Márquez no descartó que el virus H7N3 pueda brincarse a otros estados.

The sick bird were detected in Bachoco farms in Dolores Hidalgo and San Felipe, about an hour's drive from León. Márquez did not dismiss the possibility that H7N3 could spread to other states.

Another report, in Spanish, says the neighbouring state of Michoacán is also tightening border checks against the possibility of such a spread.

Coston: Avian flu on Sunday

At Avian Flu Diary, Mike Coston has a Sunday Morning Avian Flu Roundup—a very helpful summary of the last few eventful days. Highly recommended.

CIDRAP: News scan for February 15

Via CIDRAP: NEWS SCAN: H5N1 reports from Nepal, possible H7N3 in Mexico, flu and RSV seasonality, NDM bacteria cluster. Excerpt:

Eight patients in a Denver hospital last year harbored Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM), an enzyme that confers resistance to many antimicrobials, marking the biggest such outbreak in the United States so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The outbreak was first spotted with the detection of carbapenem-resistant K pneumoniae (CRKP) in respiratory samples from two patients in July and August, says an article in today's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Review of records and surveillance cultures identified six more cases. 

The patients had been hospitalized for a median of 18 days before CRKP was identified. Three of them were treated for CRKP infections, and five were found to be asymptomatically colonized. All of them survived. Tests revealed that the initial isolates were resistant to all antimicrobials except tigecycline. 

An epidemiologic investigation suggested that multiple transmission events had occurred and that "undetected, asymptomatically colonized patients were involved in some transmission routes." 

How the pathogen got into the hospital was unclear. Before this outbreak, only 16 isolates of NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) had been found in the United States, 14 of them in patients who had received medical care in South Asia. 

In a Health Alert Network advisory e-mailed to reporters today, the CDC said that, of the 37 unusual forms of CRE reported in the United States, 15 have been reported since July 2012. The agency called for healthcare providers to act aggressively to prevent the emergence and spread of these organisms.