AVIAN INFLUENZA: WEEKLY UPDATE ON FAO ACTIVITIES

UNCLAS ROME 001090 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/EDA, EUR/SE, EUR/WE, NEA/ENA, EA/SEA, OES/IHA USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS; GH/KHILL, DCARROLL AND BZINNER; AFR/MHARVEY, ALOZANO; EGAT A/AA JSMITH; ANE/ACLEMENTS, K/CRAWFORD; EGAT/AG JYAZMAN AND JTHOMAS USDA FOR OSEC STUMP/PENN/LAMBERT/CAINE, FAS PETTRIE/HUGHES/CLERKIN, APHIS CLIFFORD/HOFFMAN DAKAR FOR USAID/OFDA/RDAVIS AND JSCICCHITANO ACCRA FOR USAID/WARP HBOTTEMBERG; KCOONEY GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID HHS FOR OGHA (STEIGER) BRUSSELS FOR USAID/PLERNER AND APHIS/PFERNANDEZ PARIS FOR GCARNER USEUCOM FOR ECJ4 VIENNA PASS APHIS CAIRO PASS APHIS FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU EAGR EAID CASC SENV SOCI TBIO FAO WHO AVIAN INFLUENZA SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: WEEKLY UPDATE ON FAO ACTIVITIES #7 FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 7, 2006 REF: (A) 05 ROME 3949; (B) 05 ROME 3320; (C) 05 ROME 2979; (D) 05 ROME 1142; (E) 05 ROME 3976; (F) 06 ROME 0087; (G) 06 ROME 0000 (sic); (H) 06 UN ROME 0315; (I) 06 UN ROME 0430; (J) 06 UN ROME 0464; (K) 06 UN ROME 0626; (L) UN ROME 0678; (M) 06 UN ROME 0766; (N) 06 UN ROME 0860; (O) 06 UN ROME 0925; (P) 06 UN ROME 1006 ¶1. USMISSION UN ROME staff covered the USDA/Washington April 3-6 meetings with FAO on providing U.S. experts for FAO's global efforts to combat Avian Influenza. A separate reporting cable will be issued. During some free periods this week, USMISSION UN ROME held brief discussions with FAO Animal Production and Health (AGA) and Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation (TCE) Divisions staff for an update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) country information and activities. Following is a summary by country: -- Azerbaijan: another case of HPAI was reported in a duck in Agdam province. -- Benin: FAO has shipped personal protective equipment (PPE); disinfectant; sample shipping boxes; autopsy kits; reagents; and sprayers and blowers to Cotonou. Expected delivery date to national veterinary laboratories is on/about April 14. Diagnostic equipment has not yet been ordered. FAO is still evaluating the program of action it will take in Benin. -- Burkina Faso: FAO had been tracking rumors of H5N1 in Burkina and received a positive identification of its presence in country on March 31. FAO/Rome instructed its regional representative based in Bamako to travel to Burkina Faso, despite the Government failing to declare the virus' presence to OIE. The Government subsequently acknowledged an outbreak on April 3. -- Israel: HPAI has been confirmed in turkeys in the Jericho District. The Government began culling operations on 20,000 chickens believed to have been exposed to the H5N1 virus. -- Kenya: FAO is tracking rumors of birds (both indigenous and migratory) dying in and around Lake Naivasha. FAO also reported that some 400 dead chickens were dumped in Nairobi's Kasarani district. -- Niger: FAO reported that since February 13, no additional cases of H5N1 were reported, most likely due to the restriction of poultry movements. The virus was introduced through commercial routes bordering Nigeria. FAO believes the local ecosystem may also be playing a role and is currently analyzing how climate, humidity and other factors keep the virus from surviving. ¶2. USMISSION UN ROME will continue to disseminate widely FAO activities to combat and control Avian Influenza. CLEVERLEY