BURMA: AVIAN INFLUENZA DETECTED IN POULTRY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000079 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, G/AIAG; PACOM FOR FPA; USDA FOR FAS/PECAD, FAS/CNMP, FAS/AAD, APHIS; APHIS:RTANAKA, REO:HHOWARD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID AMED PGOV PREL CASC TBIO KFLU BM SUBJECT: BURMA: AVIAN INFLUENZA DETECTED IN POULTRY REF: A. 2007 RANGOON 212 ¶B. 221 ¶C. 274 ¶D. 287 ¶E. 489 ¶F. 1180 ¶G. 1210 RANGOON 00000079 001.2 OF 002 HPAI Detected in Rangoon Chickens -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Burmese health officials confirmed February 5 they have identified an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) at a poultry farm in Rangoon's Myangone Township. The initial outbreak, detected February 1, was reported to health officials on February 2, and appeared to have a 100 percent mortality rate among infected birds. Officials with Burma's Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) reported that health officials quarantined the farm, culled 2,355 chickens, burned the carcasses, and buried associated waste on site February 2-3. The exile news outlet Mizzima reported the farm is owned by the Burmese Army's Rangoon command, as are many poultry farms in the area. The Burmese language version of the GOB controlled daily New Light of Myanmar reported details of the current outbreak on February 6 but did not identify the farm's owners. ¶2. (SBU) This is the first known incidence of AI here since 2007 when GOB health officials reported a series of outbreaks at poultry farms in Rangoon, Mon State, Shan State, and Bago Division from February through December, including a human case in Shan State. GOB Forms Interagency Teams to Respond -------------- ¶3. (SBU) GOB officials held an interagency meeting on February 8 to plan next steps. Meeting participants formed a rapid response team, a culling team, a disinfecting team, a surveillance team, a laboratory support team, and a marketing and movement control team to handle this case and prepare for a potential spread of the disease. The disinfecting team will attempt to sanitize the current outbreak site three times over the next 21 days. Simultaneously, LBVD officials will attempt to track movement of people and materials to and from the site for the ten days that preceded the February 1 outbreak. They will also monitor potential outbreak sites in concentric circles around the affected farm. The first perimeter, encompassing the 'infected area,' extends one kilometer from the farm and does not contain any other concentrations of poultry. The second perimeter, the 'restricted area,' extends from one to three kilometers from the farm and contains at least 20 additional poultry farms. Vector Unknown -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The vector for this outbreak remains unknown. LBVD officials are focusing on a small number of domestic ducks and barnyard chickens (as opposed to the farm's commercial egg layers) resident on the farm, infection via wild birds, infection via contaminated egg trays from another farm, and infection via a 'dangerous contact person,' or someone whose occupation puts him/her in contact with poultry at multiple sites (e.g. a delivery driver) as possible sources. ¶5. (SBU) Burmese health officials verified the HPAI presence using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test conducted with RANGOON 00000079 002.2 OF 002 equipment donated to Burma by the Government of Japan. Chicken and Egg Sales Restricted -------------- ¶6. (SBU) According to contacts at the Yangon City Development Committee, health officials banned the sale of poultry products in the Rangoon-area Myangone and Okkalpa Townships in response to the outbreak. Poultry and eggs are not restricted elsewhere in the city and remain available in local markets. DINGER