Earth Watch Report - Biological Hazards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This
family of influenza viruses belong to the Orthomyxoviruses. They all
range in severity, but cause respiratory infection in the host animals.
Several subtypes of the
influenza A
virus exist. This virus is more commonly known as the "bird flu" in
that it infects mostly avian species, although some have been found in
mammals, as well. These viruses range in the level of pathogenicity.
H5N8 is one of the many subtypes. One of the main reasons for concern is
these viruses undergo constant change, which makes vaccine
manufacturing almost impossible. By the time a vaccine is distributed,
the virus may have already mutated. Although H5N8 is considered one of
the lower pathenogenic subtypes, it is beginning to become more so. Many
times, H5N8 is used as an incubator for the highly pathogenic
H1N1.
[1]
.....
.....
RSOE EDIS
| Description |
| Korean
officials have confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza in the southern
part of the country, in the nation's first case of the virus since
2011. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Friday it
had confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus in poultry at a farm in
Gochang, Jeollabuk-do. The AI case was first reported on Thursday,
prompting provincial authorities to cull all 20-thousand ducks there,
and access to the area has been restricted. Farms in other provinces
that have recently bought ducks from the Gochang farm are also taking
precautionary measures against the virus. Korea's last avian influenza
outbreak resulted in the culling of 3 million birds in 2011. |
| Biohazard name: | H5N1 - Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus |
| Biohazard level: | 4/4 Hazardous |
| Biohazard desc.: | Viruses
and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for
which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian
and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic
fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever,
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified
diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a
Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The
entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a
vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system,
and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the
biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured
to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water
service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will
undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility
of an accidental release. |
| Symptoms: | |
| Status: | confirmed |
.....
Back
| Updated: | Saturday, 18 January, 2014 at 12:53 UTC |
| Description |
| Authorities
have confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza at a poultry farm in the
southern part of the country, in the nation's first case of the virus
since 2011. The A-I case in Jeollabuk-do Province was first reported on
Thursday, prompting authorities to cull all 20-thousand ducks there.
Access to the area has been restricted, and farms in other provinces
that recently purchased ducks from the Gochang farm are also taking
precautionary measures against the virus. Korea's last avian influenza
outbreak in 2011 resulted in the culling of 3 million birds. |
.....
Back
| Updated: | Sunday, 19 January, 2014 at 04:44 UTC |
| Description |
| South
Korea banned the movement of people who work with poultry and products
from two provinces after confirming an outbreak of the highly pathogenic
avian influenza H5N8 at a farm in the country's south. Authorities have
restricted movement in North Jeolla province, South Jeolla province and
Gwangju Metropolitan City, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) from Seoul,
for 48 hours until midnight Jan. 20, Lee Dong Phil, minister of the
agriculture, food and rural affairs, told reporters today. The ministry
confirmed the first outbreak in Gochang, North Jeolla province on Jan.
17, and suspects two more cases at duck farms in nearby Buan County,
according to separate statements on the ministry's website. As many as
21,000 ducks have been culled at the farm in Gochang. "It was inevitable
to announce a stand-still in order to prevent further damage," Lee
said. "We ask all to comply thoroughly with the stand-still
instructions." South Korea is the world's third-biggest buyer of corn,
used in food, livestock feed and biofuel. The country destroyed 6.5
million chickens and ducks in the previous outbreak spanning December
2010 through May 2011, according to government data. |
.....
Back
| Updated: | Saturday, 01 February, 2014 at 13:46 UTC |
| Description |
| Two
new suspected bird flu cases were reported in South Korea Saturday,
stoking concerns that the highly pathogenic poultry disease may be
spreading in the country, the agriculture ministry said. According to
the ministry, the additional suspected cases were reported at a chicken
farm in the southern port city of Busan, and a duck farm in Jincheon, 90
kilometers south of Seoul. |
.....
Back
| Updated: | Monday, 03 February, 2014 at 03:55 UTC |
| Description |
| Two
new suspected bird flu cases have been reported this week, the
government said Monday, as quarantine authorities stay on watch for any
new signs after heavy traffic of people during the Lunar New Year
holiday. The additional cases were reported Sunday at a duck farm in
Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, and a chicken farm in Jeongeup,
North Jeolla Province, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs. With the two newest additions, the total number of
suspected cases of avian influenza (AI) reported so far is 77. An H5N8
strain of bird flu has been confirmed in 40 cases, up from 27 on
Saturday. Ministry officials said the new suspected cases did not mean
the animal disease was continuing to spread. The two new cases were from
areas that are already under close government control, they said. "The
government believes the disease is mostly being reported in areas
controlled by the government. We are seeing sporadic outbreaks, but the
disease is well under control," Kwon Jae-han, the head of the ministry's
livestock policy bureau, told a press briefing. Over 2.6 million ducks
and chickens have been slaughtered since the country reported its first
suspected outbreak of AI on Jan. 16. Health officials here have said the
H5N8 strain of bird flu poses no immediate threats to humans, with no
human infection of the strain reported so far. |
.....
New Bird Flu Outbreak in Korea; 500,000 Chickens Culled
March 11, 2014 by
Linda Larsen
A new case of H5N8 bird flu in Korea has led to the culling of 50,000 chickens, according to
The Chosun Ilbo.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed the case
on Sunday, March 9, 2014. Now only Gangwon and Jeju provinces do not
have birds with the virus. No human infections have been reported to
date.
A
farm in Gyeongju bought 6,700 chickens from a farm in Pyeongtaek, in
Gyeonggi Province. The new bird flu strain was detected there on March
4, 2014. The virus was found in bird droppings on the farm. Authorities
are culling 500,000 chickens in the area. Lab tests are ongoing to
determine if the virus is highly transmissible.
The new bird flu strain was detected in Korea on January 16, 2014. Since then, more than 2.8 million birds have been killed.
Read More Here
.....
New Avian Flu Virus Ravages Poultry in Korea
6 February 2014 12:00 pm
Wikimedia Commons
Infected. Baikal teal are among the birds hit by the virus.
A
dangerous new strain of bird flu that emerged in South Korea on 17
January has spread nationwide despite efforts to clamp down on the
virus. Authorities have culled 2.8 million domestic chickens and ducks
since the outbreak began, and the strain has also killed dozens of
Baikal teal and other migratory birds. As yet, there are no reports of
human infections. Scientists are puzzling over where the H5N8 strain,
never before seen in a highly pathogenic form, originated. And
researchers are scrambling to keep the virus out of the country's
premier poultry research center.
Intensive surveillance of
commercial poultry and wild birds had never before detected the H5N8
strain in Korea, says Jae-Hong Kim, a veterinary microbiologist at Seoul
National University. Last year, a Chinese group
reported
having isolated it from apparently healthy ducks at a live poultry
market in China. Based on H5N8’s sudden appearance in Korea and the
genetic similarity of isolates from poultry and migratory birds, a
governmental investigative committee has "tentatively concluded that
[the virus] was likely to have been introduced by migratory birds," Kim
says.
Read More Here
.....
The
first four graduate students who showed symptoms were hospitalized at
Konkuk University Medical Center and then transferred to the National
Medical Center on Wednesday. All of them visited a cattle fair in
Gyeonggi Province last week as well as an animal farm owned by the
university in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province.
