Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed deaths, buffalo – Taiwan: (Yangmingshan Natl Park) RFI
Undiagnosed -- ChinaA team composed of veterinarians and animal health specialists is now looking into 24 deaths of wild water buffaloes in Yangmingshan National Park, the Taipei City Animal Protection Office said Saturday [19 Dec 2020].Among the 24 dead wild water buffaloes, the office noted 18 died over the past 19 days, including one calf that was found dead Friday evening [18 Dec 2020].To determine the cause of deaths, the team recently collected samples from the carcasses as well as water and Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (553): variants, immunocompromised, M East/N Africa, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United KingdomThis variant shares some similarities to the one that has already been detected in the UK, although they have evolved separately.Both have a mutation -- called N501Y -- which is in a crucial part of the virus that it uses to infect the body's cells.Prof Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, said: "I think the greatest concern of ours at the moment is the South African one."There's certainly anecdotal reports of explosive outbreaks for that virus and very steep increases Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rabbit hemorrhagic disease – USA (10): (WY) wild rabbit
Other Animal Disease -- United StatesAccording to the Wyoming Livestock Board, a wild eastern cottontail has tested positive for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 in Albany County.The disease is a viral pathogen that causes sudden death in rabbits and can be spread through direct contact with infected rabbits, meat or fur, or materials that come in contact with those carriers. It is only known to affect rabbits, both wild and domestic. It is highly contagious, fatal, and is not related to coronavirus. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (117): Japan, wild bird, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- JapanInformation received on [and dated] 24 Dec 2020 from Dr. Norio Kumagai, Director, Chief Veterinary Officer, Animal Health Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo, JapanSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 3 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 9 Dec 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 25 Mar 2018Manifestation of disease: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rhinotracheitis, bovine (IBR/IPV) – Switzerland: (GR) cattle, recurrence
Other Animal Disease -- SwitzerlandSwiss authorities have identified a cow with the infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), a respiratory disease, in the eastern canton of Grisons [Graubunden], local officials said on [Wed 23 Dec 2020].The disease, which is incurable in animals but harmless to humans, poses a threat to cattle. There have been no cases of IBR in Switzerland since 1993, the officials said [but see http://promedmail.org/post/20020918.5340 and comment. - Mod.AS]."In order to determine Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola-Reston, porcine – Philippines: USA, pig, experimental infection trial
Ebola -- PhilippinesReston ebolavirus (RESTV) should be considered a livestock pathogen with potential to affect other mammals, including people, according to National Institutes of Health scientists. The caution comes from a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in which the scientists found that experimental piglets infected with RESTV developed severe respiratory disease and shed the virus from the upper respiratory tract. RESTV can infect humans but is not known to Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (116): Belgium (WV), poultry, LPAI H5 OIE
Avian Influenza -- BelgiumInformation received on [and dated] 22 Dec 2020 from Dr. Herman Claeys, Head of the Health Policy Department: Animals and Plants, Directorate-General Animals, Plants and Food, Federal Public Health Service, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Brussels, BelgiumSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 14 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 17 Dec 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 29 Jan Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (552): USA, animal, cat, dog, snow leopard, OIE
COVID-19 -- United StatesInformation received on 21 Dec 2020 from Dr Mark Davidson, Associate Administrator, USDA-APHIS, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, United States of AmericaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 27 Mar 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 4 Apr 2020Report date: 18 Dec 2020Date submitted to OIE: 21 Dec 2020Reason for notification: emerging diseaseMorbidity: 2 (scale 0 to 5)Mortality: 1 (scale 0 to 5)Zoonotic impact: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (115): Iran (TE) HPAI, poultry, H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- IranInformation received on [and dated] 15 Dec 2020 from Dr. Ali Safar Maken Ali, Head, Iran Veterinary Organization (IVO), Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture, Tehran, IranSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 5 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 6 Dec 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 28 Jan 2020Manifestation of disease: Clinical diseaseCausal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (551): animal, pig, research, experimental infection
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownIn a study in Emerging Infectious Diseases late last week, Canadian and US researchers found that pigs are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, highlighting the need for additional livestock assessment to determine the potential role of domestic animals in the pandemic.Previous studies indicated that swine are not susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, but they did not measure seroconversion (antibody production), the authors note.They inoculated 19 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (550): mutation, query, Thailand, Taiwan, WHO, global, RFI
COVID-19 -- ThailandExecutive summary-----------------A new variant strain of SARS-CoV-2 that contains a series of mutations has been described in the United Kingdom (UK) and become highly prevalent in London and southeast England. Based on these mutations, this variant strain has been predicted to potentially be more rapidly transmissible than other circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2. Although a variant may predominate in a geographic area, that fact alone does not mean that the variant is more infectious. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (114): UK, Germany, poultry, wild bird, HPAI H5N1, H5N3, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N1 -- United KingdomInformation received on [and dated] 18 Dec 2020 from Dr Christine Middlemiss, Chief Veterinary Officer, DEFRA, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, United KingdomSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 13 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 18 Dec 2020Reason for notification: new strain of a listed disease in the countryCausal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza [AI] virusSerotype: H5N1Nature of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ehrlichiosis – Australia (04): (NT) dogs
Other Animal Disease -- AustraliaNearly 1000 dogs may have already died from an exotic tick-borne disease rapidly spreading through remote indigenous communities, according to a Top End vet.Ehrlichiosis was believed not to exist in Australia until it was confirmed in WA's Kimberley region in May 2020 and the Northern Territory in June 2020.The bacterial disease causes fever, lethargy, enlarged lymph nodes, under-skin bleeding, weight loss, and can lead to death in dogs.Bonny Cumming, a vet with Animal Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (549): animal, mink, Denmark, erad. Russia, vaccine, China, RFI
COVID-19 -- DenmarkDenmark on Monday [21 Dec 2020] banned mink farming until the start of 2022 after it emerged that a strain of the coronavirus can be passed between the animals and humans.Officials have concerns that the mutated variant could threaten the effectiveness of future vaccines.The draft bill passed by 55 votes to 43 in parliament with the main opposition parties -- the central-right Liberals and the populist Danish People's Party -- voting against the bill."Danish mink farmers have Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed illness – India (08): (AP) fatal, further investigations
Undiagnosed -- IndiaAll India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and National Institute of Chemical Technology (NICT) in a report to the Andhra Pradesh government stated that pesticide remains could be the cause of the disease which affected the people of Eluru. How it entered their bodies should be further investigated.Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a video conference on the cause of illness in Eluru with experts. The CM said all types of tests should be conducted so Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Poliomyelitis update (23): Afghanistan (KT, PK), RFI
Polio -- AfghanistanSix polio cases have been reported in the southeastern zone after a long time, public health officials say, expressing their concern about the cases. They said 5 of the cases were detected in Khost and one in Paktika province.Dr. Habib, an official at the Immunization Regional Office, said he was in touch with the Public Health Ministry and provincial officials to prevent an increase in polio cases.He said some people were reluctant to vaccinate their children based on various Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Bovine tuberculosis – Belgium: (LG) cattle, OIE
Bovine TB -- BelgiumInformation received on [and dated] 21 Dec 2020 from Dr Herman Claeys, Chef du Service Politique sanitaire: Animaux et Vegetaux, Directorat-general Animaux, Vegetaux et Alimentation, Service Public Federal Sante publique, securite de la chaine alimentaire et environnement, Bruxelles, BelgiumSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 16 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 18 Dec 2020Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed diseaseDate Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (548): mutations, PEGs,Thailand, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- ThailandOn [14 Dec 2020], authorities of the United Kingdom (UK) reported to WHO that a new SARS-CoV-2 variant was identified through viral genomic sequencing. This variant is referred to as SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01 (variant under investigation, year 2020, month 12, variant 01). Initial analysis indicates that the variant may spread more readily between people. Investigations are ongoing to determine if this variant is associated with any changes in the severity of symptoms, antibody Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Ralstonia, potato, & tomato – Germany: (BY) alert
Other Plant Disease -- GermanyFarmers along the Naab River in the upper palatinate region of Bavaria may no longer irrigate their potatoes and tomatoes with river water. The Naab upwards from where it joins the Danube is contaminated with _Ralstonia solanacearum_, bacteria that cause dangerous slime rots of those crops.The pathogen spreads quickly and destroys potato and tomato crops. It is, therefore, classified as a quarantine disease by the European Union. Affected farmers will suffer serious Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Undiagnosed disease, orange – India: (SK)
Undiagnosed -- IndiaAn unknown disease has claimed around 70% of oranges in [parts of] East District. A local farmer [said] that flowering and fruiting of the oranges were excellent this [2020] season. However, the oranges were just about ready for plucking when the fruits started dropping, he said. Around 70-90% of the orange production has been lost. The farmers are presently collecting the fallen semi-ripe oranges. "We are burying our damaged oranges because it could infect our fruit-bearing trees. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Hantavirus – Asia (05): China (SA)
Hantavirus -- ChinaRecently, a 16-year-old girl was admitted to Xi'an Children's Hospital due to sudden haemorrhagic fever. She was in the intensive care unit for a week because of her serious condition before she got better.The girl (ZZ) ate out on the day of the incident. She ate 3 steamed buns and a bowl of rice noodles. She developed fever after returning home. The fever reached 39 C [102 F]. The family rushed her to the county hospital, and then she was transferred to Xi'an Children's Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (547): mutations, travel restrictions, Thailand, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- ThailandThe aim of this Threat Assessment Brief is to summarise the findings, assess potential public health implications of this new variant, provide options for response and point out limitations, unknowns, and needs for further studies and investigations.Executive summary-----------------Over the last few weeks, the United Kingdom (UK) has faced a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in South East England, leading to enhanced epidemiological and virological investigations. Analysis of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (546): animal, Sweden, mink, surveillance, spread, control, RFI
COVID-19 -- Sweden[An e-mail from Sweden's Veterinary Service to OIE's Information Department, dated 1 Dec 2020]:In the framework of the ongoing surveillance in Swedish mink farms, the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) has confirmed 3 further cases of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in mink farms in the southeast part of the country, in the county of Blekinge.All positive farms are in the same area as the 1st case detected, in which approximately 20 of Sweden's 40 mink farms are situated. In total, there Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Poliomyelitis update (22): Pakistan (BA)
Polio -- PakistanAnother polio case has been reported in Balochistan, taking the tally of the cases for the current year [2020] to 25 in the province, ARY News reported.The provincial health department has confirmed that a 16-month-old boy in Qila Abdullah area of the province tested positive for the virus. With the latest inclusion, the overall number of poliovirus cases in Balochistan has jumped to 25. Earlier on [25 Sep 2020], a polio case had been reported in Ahmedpur East tehsil in Punjab's Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Chronic wasting disease – North America (06): USA (WY) elk
Chronic Wasting Disease -- United StatesAn elk has tested positive for chronic wasting disease in an area of northwestern Wyoming where the animals congregate during the winter at feeding grounds.Wyoming's Wildlife Health Laboratory processed a test Wednesday [16 Dec 2020] from an elk killed by a hunter as part of Grand Teton National Park's annual elk population control efforts, state officials announced Friday [18 Dec 2020].Mule deer and moose have tested positive for chronic wasting disease in Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (545): mutations, UK, South Africa, South Asia, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United KingdomWHO region (no. countries/territories):Total confirmed cases (new cases in last 24 hours) / Total deaths (new deaths in last 24 hours)------------------------------------Western Pacific Region (19): 999 891 (7958) / 18 798 (90)European Region (61): 23 457 397 (265 890) / 518 481 (5792)South East Asia Region (10): 11 572 247 (35 166) / 176 277 (543)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 4 641 968 (25 244) / 114 971 (518)Region of the Americas (54): 31 925 704 (352 665) / 804 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Equine influenza – USA (08): (CA) horse
Equine Influenza -- United StatesA Los Angeles, California boarding facility remains closed to ingress and egress after an attending veterinarian confirmed equine influenza in 2 ponies. 25 additional equines are suspected as positive, and 120 were exposed.The affected animals, an 18-year-old Welsh pony mare and a 16-year-old Welsh pony gelding, were both under-vaccinated. The mare began experiencing signs, which included fever and cough, on 10 Dec 2020 and was confirmed positive on 16 Dec 2020. The Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (113): UK, poultry, captive bird, HPAI H5N8, spread, control
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- United KingdomA flock of chickens from an Orkney farm has been culled in Scotland's 1st serious case of bird flu since 2016. A 6-mile (10 km) control zone has been set up on the island of Sanday. Thirty-nine free-range laying chickens died of bird flu, and the 11 remaining birds in the affected flock were put down.The controls include restrictions on the movement of poultry, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure, and restrictions on bird gatherings.Scotland's Chief Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Epizootic hemorrhagic disease, cattle – Israel (02): (HZ,HM) spread, st pend, OIE
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease -- IsraelInformation received on [and dated] 12 Dec 2020 from Dr. Tamir Goshen, Acting Director, Veterinary Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Beit Dagan, IsraelSummary Report type: Follow-up report no. 4Date of start of the event: 14 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 8 Nov 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: October 2016Manifestation of disease: Clinical diseaseCausal Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Invasive mosquito – USA (10): (FL)
Other Human Disease -- United States_Aedes scapularis_ is a mosquito that can spread yellow fever, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, and other human pathogens. It has a wide range, from Texas to parts of South America and throughout much of the Caribbean. In 1945, 3 specimens of larval _Ae. scapularis_ were found in Monroe County, Florida, in the Middle Florida Keys, but _Ae. scapularis_ has not been seen in Florida since then -- until now. A new study published in November [2020] in the Journal Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia – Niger: (TL) OIE
Bovine Pleuropneumonia -- NigerInformation received on [and dated] 15 Dec 2020 from Dr. Issiako Abdou, Director General of Veterinary Services, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Niamey, NigerSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 3 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 6 Dec 2020Report date: 15 Dec 2020Date submitted to OIE: 15 Dec 2020Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed diseaseManifestation of disease: Clinical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (544): mAb cocktail, mortality, Thailand, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownBackground: Recent data suggest that complications and death from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be related to high viral loads.Methods: In this ongoing, double-blind, phase 1-3 trial involving nonhospitalized patients with COVID-19, we investigated 2 fully human, neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein, used in a combined cocktail (REGN-COV2) to reduce the risk of the emergence of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (112): UK, wild bird, HPAI H5N5
Avian Influenza -- United KingdomBird flu has been reported in different animals in 2 parts of Wales as a high alert warning has been issued across the UK.Newport City Council posted that wild geese and swans in the city had tested positive for the "highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI H5N5". The Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has also said a case has been reported in the past week [7-13 Dec 2020] in a little grebe, a type of water bird, in Carmarthenshire.Nearly 150 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (543): vaccine, excess mortality, Nigeria, India, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Nigeria"Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a marked increase in all-cause deaths in the US, mostly among older adults./1 Although the burden of COVID-19 among hospitalized younger adults has been described, fewer data focus on mortality in this demographic, owing to lower case-fatality rates./2"Excess mortality reflects the full burden of the pandemic that may go uncaptured due to uncoded COVID-19 and other pandemic-related deaths. Accordingly, we examined all-cause excess Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Rhizoctonia, cereal crops – Australia: (WA)
Other Plant Disease -- AustraliaIncreased rhizoctonia bare patches in cereals have been observed around WA [Western Australia] this [2020] season. Daniel Hueberli, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA (DPIRD), said the main reason for the higher levels of rhizoctonia was late rain and the subsequent later emergence of crops in a lot of regions."The 2nd reason was that growers were likely sowing into a high inoculum load, most of the paddocks probably had some cereals in there Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (542): animal, Greece (EM) mink mutation, human, OIE
COVID-19 -- GreeceInformation received on [and dated] 15 Dec 2020 from Mrs Chrysoula Dile, Head, Animal Health Directorate, Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Athens, GreeceSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 4 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 8 Dec 2020Reason for notification: emerging diseaseMorbidity: 2 (scale 0 to 5)Mortality: 1 (scale 0 to 5)Zoonotic impact: The Y453F mutation in the spike (S) protein of the virus, referred to as Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (111): Europe, poultry, captive/wild bird, H5N1, H5N5, H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N1, Avian Influenza H5N8, Avian Influenza -- NetherlandsInformation received on [and dated] 16 Dec 2020 from Dr. Christianne Bruschke, Chief Veterinary Officer, Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, The Hague, NetherlandsSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 14 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 14 Dec 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 10 Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Verticillium wilt, oilseed rape – Canada: (SK)
Other Plant Disease -- CanadaVerticillium stripe appears to be making its way west, as some fields in Saskatchewan showed symptoms this [2020] summer as well. [The] soil-borne disease, 1st detected in Manitoba in 2014 [ProMED-mail post http://promedmail.org/post/20150108.3077863], caused yield losses in 2020 canola crops.It is found in Europe and Australia and, because it was detected so recently, very little Canadian research has been completed. According to Justine Cornelsen, Canola Council of Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Poliomyelitis update (21): global, Sierra Leone, RFI
Polio -- Sierra Leone[The data presented here comes from the GPEI weekly report email and is in discord with the website. It is unclear which are the correct figures. To be clarified in the coming days. - Mod.MPP]Poliovirus weekly update as of 16 Dec 2020, World Health OrganizationNew wild poliovirus isolates reported this week:AFP cases: 0Environment: 3Others: 0New cVDPV isolates reported this week:AFP cases: 68Environment: 3Others: 13Headlines:- The EB [executive board] reports on Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed die-off, avian – USA: (ID) duck, RFI
Animal Die-off -- United StatesThe number of dead ducks found south of Salmon has more than doubled as wildlife officials continue to collect carcasses and search for a cause. Idaho Fish and Game biologist Tempe Regan reported finding a total of 107 dead ducks since last week [7-13 Dec 2020] along an irrigation ditch and in adjacent sloughs and ponds south of town. Initially, about 50 dead birds were found.Fish and Game's Mike Demick said 6 ducks were sent to be tested at the National Wildlife Health Read more [...]
