Turkey's AI Outbreak - More Details

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006138

SIPDIS

STATE FRO EUR/RUS, OES/STC, EB/TPP/ATP, EB/TPP/BTA
HHS FOR WSTEIGER/PBUDASHEWITZ
ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL
FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS
VIENNA PASS APHIS
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ
GENEVA PASS HEALTH ATTACHE

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAGR KPAO TBIO
SUBJECT: Turkey's AI Outbreak - More Details


Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet Distribution.


1. Summary. More details are emerging about the recent AI
outbreak in Turkey. On Thursday, officials expect to
receive test results for specimens sent to England to
determine the subtype Avian Influenza (AI) that was detected
in a turkey flock last week. The government has been taking
extraordinary steps to quarantine the area and, even more
importantly, provide information and guidance to the public
regarding the outbreak. There are reports that Turkish
consumers are avoiding all poultry meat produced in the
region. End Summary.

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October 2, First Detected
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2. (SBU) More details are beginning to emerge about the
recent outbreak of AI near Baliksehir. The Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) informed USDA's Animal
Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS),that the virus
was detected on October 1. At that time, the private farmer
discovered 2 - 3 dead birds. The birds had been kept
outdoors and could have been in contact with wild birds in
the region. The following day the number of dead birds
increased and a veterinarian from a commercial poultry
operator was called to the farm. When he arrived, he
witnessed up to 50 dead birds and notified the District
veterinary office and immediately sent samples to a lab in
Izmir, the only lab in the country equipped to test for AI.
On October 7, the initial results confirmed the presence of
AI. By that time 1700 birds had died from the virus.
Unfortunately, the lab in Izmir is unable to test for
subtypes and the samples had to be sent to a lab in England.
Note: One commercial producer informed us that, as of
Monday evening, the samples had still not been sent. As a
result, test results are not expected until Thursday.

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Bird Deaths and Preventive Measures
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3. (SBU) MARA has established a 3km radius around the
infected farm as a quarantine zone. The remaining 100 birds
on the infected farm were destroyed over the weekend.
Additionally, 2,684 turkeys on another farm within the 3 km
area that had not shown any signs of the disease were culled
killed as a precautionary measure. All pigeons, ducks, and
chickens (over 2000) were also destroyed within this
quarantine area. No movement of animals are permitted
outside this area and all vehicles are been disinfected.
MARA is apparently destroying the birds at night to ensure
that birds have not been left wandering in fields.


4. (SBU) MARA has established an additional 7km radius as
an observation area where precautions have also been taken
to avoid the spread of the disease. School children have
been sent to other areas to live with family members, feed
trucks are being disinfected, and five empty barns have been
destroyed. Private poultry companies have also agreed to
destroy birds within an additional 5 km radius outside of
this 10 km zone as a precaution.


5. (SBU) According to the Turkish Poultry Association,
there are about 150 million birds used for commercial
purposes in Turkey. There are 120 million broilers and 30
million layers. The number of non-commercial birds in Turkey
is unknown. Total sales in the broiler sector are USD 2.2
billion and USD 600 million in the egg sector.


6. (SBU) Although live bird sales have been prohibited in
Turkey for many years, the GOT never enforced the law and it
was common practice to sell live birds in the open-air
markets. However, since the AI outbreak last week, there
will be stricter enforcement of this law. Live bird sales in
the Marmara region, where the outbreak occurred, will be
more strictly enforced and large commercial operations are
seeking to ban small non-commercial farms.



7. (SBU) MARA officials have indicated that the Turkish
government will reimburse farmers for any flocks, which need
to be culled. Apparently a new regulation was passed over
the weekend ensuring that farmers will be compensated.

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Comment: MARA Responding Well
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8. (SBU) MARA has responded well to the current situation,
taking decisive steps to contain any outbreak. In addition,
agriculture officials have made great effort to inform both
poultry producers and consumers about the outbreak. Farmers
in Bolu, northwest of Ankara were invited to a conference
with some 300 other producers on Tuesday and the government
hosted a call-in television talk show to answer questions.
There are indications that consumers are avoiding poultry
from companies which produce in the area.

MCELDOWNEY