Kenya

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   Alert over fears of possible Bird Flu outbreak

By Peter Orengo 
Kenya has been put on the alert over a possible outbreak of Avian Influenza, also known as Bird Flu.
The warning was given by the Kenya Veterinary Department, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) and Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) officials during an East African region sensitisation workshop in Nairobi, yesterday.
The announcement comes after an Egyptian girl was reported to have contracted the virus.
A veterinary official, Mr Michael Cheruiyot said Kenya was taking measures in case the disease is reported in the country. 
Migratory path
"Kenya is vulnerable since we fall on the wild bird migratory path to and from Asia and Europe," he said.
The head of veterinary services at KWS, Mr Francis Gakuya said they were monitoring the situation.
Kemri’s Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Specialist, Ms Monique Wasunna, asked Kenyans to avoid eating poultry meat that is not inspected. Transporting or sleeping in the same room with birds should also be avoided.
Since 2003, the H5N1 avian influenza virus has infected at least 410 people in 15 countries and killed 254 of them. It has also killed or forced the culling of more than 300 million birds in 61 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
While H5N1 rarely infects people, experts fear it could mutate into a form that people could easily pass to each other. Although it is suspected those who have died from the strain caught it from birds, scientists believe there are cases of human-to-human transmission.
In April, Ivory Coast detected its first outbreaks in birds, the sixth African nation to confirm the virus after Nigeria, Niger, Egypt, Burkina Faso and Cameroon

http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144008777&cid=4&

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dennis2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Valued Member Original Join Date: Long Term Member Joined: July 31 2007 Status: Offline Points: 267	Post Options Post Reply Quote dennis2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Kenya Posted: March 12 2009 at 4:22pm
	Alert over fears of possible Bird Flu outbreak By Peter Orengo Kenya has been put on the alert over a possible outbreak of Avian Influenza, also known as Bird Flu. The warning was given by the Kenya Veterinary Department, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) and Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) officials during an East African region sensitisation workshop in Nairobi, yesterday. The announcement comes after an Egyptian girl was reported to have contracted the virus. A veterinary official, Mr Michael Cheruiyot said Kenya was taking measures in case the disease is reported in the country. Migratory path "Kenya is vulnerable since we fall on the wild bird migratory path to and from Asia and Europe," he said. The head of veterinary services at KWS, Mr Francis Gakuya said they were monitoring the situation. Kemri’s Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Specialist, Ms Monique Wasunna, asked Kenyans to avoid eating poultry meat that is not inspected. Transporting or sleeping in the same room with birds should also be avoided. Since 2003, the H5N1 avian influenza virus has infected at least 410 people in 15 countries and killed 254 of them. It has also killed or forced the culling of more than 300 million birds in 61 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. While H5N1 rarely infects people, experts fear it could mutate into a form that people could easily pass to each other. Although it is suspected those who have died from the strain caught it from birds, scientists believe there are cases of human-to-human transmission. In April, Ivory Coast detected its first outbreaks in birds, the sixth African nation to confirm the virus after Nigeria, Niger, Egypt, Burkina Faso and Cameroon http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144008777&cid=4&
	after all is said and done- more is said than done

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 12 2009 at 6:39pm
	Overview of Kenya 􀂾 Area: 582,000 Sq Km Position: East Africa, bisected by the Equator at the middle - Great Rift Valley traverses the country from north to South Human Population: 32 million 􀂾 Poultry Population: 30 million 70% indigenous backyard, 28% commercial, 2% others (Turkeys, ducks, Geese,Quails) - - - - Avian Flu Situation - General 􀂾 Kenya lies along the migratory birds route from Europe to Southern Africa 􀂾 Birds start to arrive in mid September and peak in mid November 􀂾 Kenya is a stop over point for migratory birds 270 species of birds migrate into Kenya every year 􀂾 Migratory birds stop at water points and mix freely with local water birds. 􀂾 Local water birds mix freely with domestic poultry Kenya is faced with a burden of communicable diseases that comprise 70% of all outpatient morbidity like Malaria, Typhoid, TB,HIV/AIDS The country has adopted The Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response (IDSR) Strategy in order to promptly detect priority diseases, re emerging and emerging diseases reemerging and emerging diseases Constraints in the health systems: 􀁺 Weak disease surveillance system (in timeliness, completeness, human capacity), 􀁺 Inadequate Emergency stocks of vaccine, antiviral drugs and protective gear & other non non- pharmaceuticals 􀁺 Inadequate laboratory capacity 􀁺 Low funding for research Risk of Avian Influenza 􀂾 Importation of birds, poultry and their products from affected countries 􀂾 Disposal of swill brought by Airlines and ships from affected countries. 􀂾 Migratory birds flying from affected countries and exposing our domestic birds and animals to the H5N1 􀂾 Nairobi is a hub for international travel 􀂾 Risk behaviour inherent in community practices: 􀁺 High consumption of poultry and their products (preparation is t the risk) 􀁺 Consumption of birds when signs of illness appear 􀁺 Living in the same dwellings with poultry NB. These practices may expose our population to H5N1 virus infe infection Main Issues Facing Kenyan Response 􀂾 Weak surveillance systems 􀂾 Inadequate support to both animal & human (national & sub sub-national) laboratories 􀂾 Inadequate human resources 􀂾 Inadequate medical equipments & supplies 􀁺 Anti Anti-viral drugs 􀁺 Interpandemic Vaccines 􀁺 Protective material 􀁺 Pharmaceuticals & non non-pharmaceuticals 􀁺 Medical equipments 􀂾 Weak biosecurity at farms, veterinary laboratories and at entry points 􀂾 Low funding for research 􀂾 Inadequate quarantine facilities for both animal & human - at ports of entry 􀂾 Inappropriate legal framework to respond to the challenge 􀂾 Unsynchronized Communication systems http://www.fao.org/docs/eims/upload//221480/national_plan_ai_ken_en.pdf