Memorandum submitted by Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Letter to the Chairman of the Committee
from the Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare,
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 1 December
2005
EFRA SELECT COMMITTEE HEARING ON AVIAN INFLUENZA
I am writing to apologise and correct information
which was provided to the Select Committee at the evidence hearing
on Avian Influenza on 15 November.
In response to a question from you Glenys Stacey,
Chief Executive of the State Veterinary Service, stated "that
for the period of 9 March to 16 September the premises had no
birds in it at all".
It has now been established that a further set
of records had been misfiled. Though this does not materially
alter the position as previously reported to the house, we have
now been informed that the quarantine premises in question accommodated
a consignment of birds from 15 July to 18 August this year.
The consignment is documented as comprising
approximately 2,000 birds from Tanzania. In accordance with normal
procedures the records show that the birds were held for the quarantine
period. In addition the documentation shows that there was mortality
of approximately 10% during quarantine and post mortem samples
from some of the dead birds were tested at the Veterinary Laboratories
Agency. Samples taken from five of the dead birds and the sentinel
chickens were negative for both Avian Influenza and notifiable
Newcastle Disease. The samples from the dead birds were positive
for paramyxovirus 2 which is not a notifiable disease.
There have been no reported cases of avian influenza
in Tanzania.
We have brought the new information to the attention
of our National Emergency Epidemiological Group. The Group has
concluded that there is no reason to alter the earlier conclusion
drawn from its report that the likeliest source of the infection
detected in October was the mesias documented as being imported
from Taiwan. The epidemiological report will be updated to include
the new information.
A written statement has been issued to the House
this morning.
Ben Bradshaw MP
Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal
Welfare
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
December 2005
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