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 A roundup from around the world:
The UK Civil Contingencies Secretariat has devoted a section of the UK Resilience website to tracking the Avian Influenza outbreak centred on Fife, Scotland. The pages offer the latest information, general advice related to Avian Influenza and an assessment of the current threat level. Go there: http://www.ukresilience.info/latest/avian_flu.shtm
Several preventive and control measures agreed by EU Standing Committee
EU Member States have backed a series of Commission proposals to reinforce EU preventive and control measures with regard to Avian Influenza, at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH). The decisions relate to the outbreak of H5N1 Avian Influenza on a German poultry farm, rules on preventive measures taken with regard to zoo birds and an extension of the import bans for Croatia, Romania and Turkey .
Germany
Following confirmation of an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza on a poultry farm in Wermsdorf (Saxony) in Germany, the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health has agreed to a Commission proposal to establish a risk area around the protection (3 km) and surveillance (10 km) zones, as required by Decision 2006/135/EC on avian influenza in poultry. The risk area acts as a buffer zone between the outbreak and the non-affected parts of the Member State or its neighbouring countries. Strict movement restrictions, bio-security measures and controls have to be applied in the risk area, in addition to the measures already foreseen for protection and surveillance zones under EU legislation.
The protection zone covers Wermsdorf, Stadt Mutzschen, while municipalities in the districts of Muldentalkreis, Kreis Torgau-Oschatz and Kreis Döbeln fall within the surveillance zone or the wider risk area. This list aims to provide legal certainty with regard to the area where the movement restrictions and control measures must be applied, and will enable third country trading partners to regionalise import bans they may impose as a result of the outbreak. The measures in these zones will remain in place until 8 May 2006 , subject to review over the coming weeks.
Romania , Turkey and Croatia – import bans extended
The Standing Committee voted in favour of a Commission proposal to extend the import restrictions already in place for poultry and poultry products from Romania, Turkey and parts of Croatia, from 30 April 2006 to 31 July 2006 , subject to review. The import bans are being prolonged due to new cases of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza detected in these three countries since the first outbreaks were reported.
Zoo birds
Member States who have submitted zoo bird vaccination plans to the Commission: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, France, Ireland, Ital , Latvia, Lithuania, Hungar , the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic and UK .
New Zealand pandemic preparedness legislation introduced
New Zealand 's work to prepare for a possible 'flu pandemic has been significantly progressed by the introduction of new legislation in Parliament this week.
The Law Reform (Epidemic Preparedness) Bill will improve the government's ability to respond to an outbreak of pandemic flu or a similar highly infectious disease capable of becoming an epidemic in New Zealand.
Health Minister Pete Hodgson said the bill was an important part of the whole-of-government work programme that is currently underway.
Last year Cabinet asked a number of departments to examine existing legislation and to identify any gaps that would hamper the government's ability to respond to the outbreak of pandemic flu or a serious epidemic.
The main issues addressed by the Bill involve amendments to the Health Act. The amendments mostly cover the need to update and clarify quarantine powers.
There are also a number of amendments to non-health legislation, including changes to the Social Security Act and Holidays Act.
•Date: 7th April 2006• Region: Various • Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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