Transcript Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza IN EGYPT Presentation by Prof. Dr. Hamed Samaha CVO, GOVS HPAI Technical Meeting Rome, 27-29 June.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
IN EGYPT
Presentation by
Prof. Dr. Hamed Samaha
CVO, GOVS
HPAI Technical Meeting
Rome, 27-29 June
HPAI in Egypt
Historical view of the disease
Current status of the disease
Integrated National Plan for Avian and Human Influenza
WHAT WAS DONE
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
CONSTRAINTS
FUTURE INTERVENTIONS
Historical view of the disease

The first HPAI outbreak was announced on 17th February 2006

It started in 3 governorates and spread thereafter to 21 out of the 27
governorates of the country, infecting commercial and backyard
systems

36 million birds have been culled with costs estimated at between 2
to 3 million USD.

1.5 million individuals whose livelihoods depend on poultry were
affected

The disease is now endemic and outbreaks are detected from north
to south of the country but mainly in the areas adjacent to the Nile
river
Current status of the disease
Updated on 13/6/2007 (Since February 2006)

Poultry cases
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Backyard – 370 cases;
Farms – 850 cases;
Zoo – 4 cases.
Human cases
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3281 suspected cases
37 cases confirmed
15 deaths
11 males and 26 females
2 cases in farm workers
35 cases in backyard owners
6
06
6
6
7
Jun-0
7
May
-0 7
Apr-0
Mar07
Feb -0
7
7
06
Dec -
Jan-0
06
6
Nov -
Oct -0
Sep -0
6
Aug -
Jul-0
Jun-0
May
-0 6
Apr-0
Mar06
Feb -0
6
New cases
Monthly evolution of positive cases of HPAI in Egypt
In poultry
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Integrated National Plan for Avian and
Human Influenza
Regulatory measures
 Surveillance

Culling and disinfection
 Restocking of farms
 Compensation
 Vaccination

Communication, and awareness
 Training
 Quarantine measures
 Registration of poultry slaughter houses
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
Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR) is responsible for the progressive
control of HPAI H5N1 in domestic poultry
Government coordination of HPAI activities is provided by a Supreme Committee headed by the
Ministry of Health and Population, an Avian Influenza Scientific Committee at GOVS level and a
Committee for Combating Avian Influenza within the MARL
What
was
done
(1/2)
 Trainings on various topics for:

field veterinarians, 2400 farm workers, 3600 staff at Governorate and
District veterinary services

Development of SOPs on surveillance, culling, etc.
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Culling – around 36 million birds
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Recruitment of national staff: 1200 veterinarians; 1200 employees; 300
derivers (vaccination. surveillance and control)
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Initially compensation was done (185 million LE)

Vaccination started on 7th March 2006 (H5N1 and H5N2 inactivated
vaccines)
 0ver 750 million birds were vaccinated with H5N2 and 150 million
birds with H5N1 in commercial farms; 70 million birds were vaccinated
with H5N1 in backyards; 11 million day old chicks were vaccinated
with H5N2
What was done (2/2)
Cooperation with other agencies (ongoing)

UNICEF (support in Communications and technical advices )

NAMRU-3 and WHO (assistance in viruses isolation, strengthening
of national referral labs)
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AU / IBAR via OIE (14 million doses of H5N2 AI vaccine)
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The World Bank (minimize risk of Human Influenza via controlling
HPAI in domestic birds)

Development of national preparedness plans and other activities in
collaboration with FAO, WB, WHO, UNICEF, UNSIC, WFP, USAID
Current activities
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Mass vaccination of backyard flocks (national plan for backyard poultry vaccination)
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Increase the capacity of the central laboratory and it’s satellites
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Assistance in public awareness campaigns
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Restructuring and upgrading the poultry production sector, and improving the backyard
practices
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Reviewing and amending the current disease control decrees and laws

Setting clear description for the mandates of the relevant parties within MoALR and
among all other relevant national or international parties

Reviewing and Improving the Egyptian National Integrated plan for control and
eradication of HPAI, with new approaches for the surveillance plan to effectively
minimize the spread of the virus and monitor the efficacy of the control measures
Constraints

At village, district and governorate level the existing public veterinary services need
to be strengthened
 Provision of technical assistance
 Information flow between the different administrative levels – needs
improvement

Coordination between all relevant authorities needs to be strengthened

Difficulties to enforce legislation

Standard procedures in core functions (preparedness, surveillance, control,
quarantine, biosecurity, certification) – needs to be tested / updated
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Response capacity to confirmed infections – needs to improve
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Culling
compensation initially not applied to backyard poultry keepers
 no incentive to notify a suspected cases of HPAI
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Future interventions (1/2)
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SOPs developed / updated, tested and disseminated
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In each governorate, a rapid response team to disease outbreaks will be
constituted and equipped
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At village, district and governorate levels strengthen the existing public veterinary
services
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Provision of technical assistance / means of real-time communication /
training
Continue vaccination of poultry nationwide (mass vaccination)
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Developing of national laboratory for vaccine production to produce AI
vaccine

Increasing the capacity of poultry slaughter houses
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Continue restructuring the national poultry production industry
Future interventions (2/2)

In collaboration with FAO and other partners to implement the
following projects:
 Strengthening
the animal health system at local, governorate
and central levels to prevent, control, and eradicate highly
pathogenic avian influenza H5N1in Egypt
 Emergency assistance
for the early detection, prevention and
control of avian influenza in the Maghreb and Egypt
 Promoting strategies for prevention
and control of HPAI that
focus on smallholder livelihoods and biodiversity
Thank you