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HPS Weekly Report
14 February 2017
Volume 51 No. 2017/06
ISSN 1753-4224 (Online)
Contents
Current notes
Current notes
Avian influenza - prevention zone extention
Avian influenza prevention zone
extention55
51/0601 On 9 February, the Scottish Rural Economy Secretary
confirmed that an avian influenza prevention zone for all poultry
and captive birds would remain in force until the end of April.
ECDC infectious
disease threats app
56
Africa CDC launched
56
While the current prevention zone remains in place until 28
February, the requirements of the zone will be amended after
that point, meaning that keepers will have the option of letting
their birds outside, provided that they put in place enhanced
biosecurity to minimise the risk of infection from wild birds.
Measures in the renewed zone will continue to apply across
all of Scotland, with no targeting of specific areas. Until 28
February all poultry and captive bird keepers in Scotland
must continue to keep their birds indoors, or take appropriate
practical steps to keep them separate from wild birds. A GBwide ban on poultry shows and gatherings also remains in
force. While there have been no cases confirmed in domestic
poultry or captive birds in Scotland, there have been several
cases in England and Wales.
SEPA flood warning
plans57
Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer has also noted that the risk
level from highly pathogenic avian influenza remains at ‘high’
for wild birds, and ‘low to medium’ for domestic birds. It was
therefore essential that keepers continued to ensure that their
birds are protected from infection by practising the highest
levels of biosecurity.
Keepers should start to think about steps they can take now to
provide the best biosecurity that they can to protect birds let
out on 28 February. This could include keeping your range clear
of wild birds, and where possible decontaminating the range.
Arrangements should also be discussed with keepers’ private
vets, who would be best placed to provide specific practical
advice on reducing the risk of infection. Expert advice remained
that consumers should not be concerned about eating eggs or
poultry and the threat to public health from the virus is very low.
Biosecurity steps include:
• making sure that birds’ feed and water can’t be accessed by wild birds;
• avoiding transfer of contamination between premises by cleansing and disinfecting
equipment, vehicles and footwear;
• reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry or
captive birds are kept;
• implementing effective vermin control around buildings where poultry or captive birds are kept;
• providing wash facilities or dips containing approved disinfectant (at the right concentration)
at key points such as farm entrances and entrances to bird houses.
Avian influenza is a notifiable disease. Anyone who suspects an animal may be affected by a
notifiable disease must report it to their local Animal Plant & Health Agency office (https://www.gov.
uk/government/organisations/animal-and-plant-health-agency/about/access-and-opening#fieldservices). More information about avian influenza - including biosecurity guidance - is available from
the Scottish Government website http://www.gov.scot/avianinfluenza. [Source: Scottish Government
News Release, 9 February 2017. http://news.gov.scot/news/avian-influenza-5]
ECDC infectious disease threats app
51/0602 The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has released a new
Threat Reports app, a free and open access application that gives users direct access to key
updates and reports on communicable disease threats of concern to the EU on mobile devices.
The app can be searched by specific disease or virus - from avian influenza to Zika, or by specific
report type - including the weekly Communicable Disease Threat Report (CDTR), rapid risk
assessments and epidemiological updates.
The app offers the possibility to read reports offline through My Folder and to receive push
notifications of new reports. The application is free for use to the general public while ECDC
partners can access additional reports by logging in with their ECDC credentials. [Source: ECDC
News Release, 10 February 2017. http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/press/news/Pages/News.aspx]
Africa CDC launched
51/0603 Friday 31 January marked the launch of Africa’s continent-wide public health agency, the
Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC – homepage https://www.au.int/
web/en/africacdc), which will help African member states respond to public health emergencies.
The importance of public health is underlined by the fact that it has an impact on national, social
and economic development. Because of this importance, the African Union Assembly of Heads of
State authorized an annual contribution from the overall African Union operating budget for 2016
to safeguard Africa’s health.
The need for an Africa CDC to support African countries as they monitor and respond to public
health threats was recognized by the African Union in 2013 and formalized in 2015. Since the
African Union Ministers of Health meeting in Malabo adopted the Statute of the Africa CDC in July
2015 and urged the fast tracking of the establishment of the institution, much progress has been
made. Five Regional Collaborating Centers to work with the African CDC Coordinating Center in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia have been selected. An Emergency Operations Center has been set up
at the Addis Ababa headquarters and 10 highly qualified epidemiologists are ready to monitor
HPS Weekly Report Volume 51 No.2017/06
14 February 2017
56
for disease threats across the continent. The epidemiologists will be responsible for disease
surveillance, investigations, analysis, and reporting trends and anomalies. A director, Dr John
Nkengasong, has been recruited and a governing board appointed.
The Africa CDC will join the international networks of public health institutions to share information
and improve surveillance of public health threats. [Source: African Union Press Release, 2
February 2017. https://www.au.int/web/en/pressreleases/20170202/african-union-launches-africacdc-continent-wide-public-health-agency]
SEPA flood warning plans
51/0604 On 8 February, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) launched its Flood
Warning Development Framework for 2017-2021.
Last year Scotland experienced some of its most severe flooding with storms Desmond, Eva and
Frank causing sustained and persistent rainfall from December 2015 into January 2016. Flood
forecasting and warning is therefore an essential service intended to help communities be aware
and prepared for flood events such as those witnessed last year, and to help reduce the impact
which flooding has on people’s lives.
The Flood Warning Development Framework (available at http://www.sepa.org.uk/media/219818/
sepa-flood-warning-development-framework-2017-2021.pdf) sets out a number of actions which
SEPA, as Scotland’s flood warning authority, plans to take in partnerships with others to maintain
and develop this service over the coming years:
• a total of 14 new flood warning schemes will be added to SEPA’s Floodline service over the
next five years;
• six of these flood warning schemes will be launched later this year, along Loch Lomond,
River Leven and River Garnock in Ayrshire, River Cree, Esk and Upper Nith in Dumfries and
Galloway, and in Airth and Alloa along the River Forth;
• SEPA will review and develop existing flood warning products and services, including the
introduction of a public version of the daily Flood Guidance Statement which is delivered
in partnership with the Met Office and is currently issued to over 500 civil contingency
responders;
• SEPA will continue to engage with partner organisations including local authorities and work
with the public to improve understanding and use of its flood warning products and services.
[Source: SEPA Media Release, 8 February 2017. http://media.sepa.org.uk/media-releases/2017/
sepa-publishes-plans-to-deliver-flood-warning-service-over-next-5-years/]
NHS board abbreviations
AA Ayrshire & Arran BR
FF Fife FV
LO Lothian
LN
TY Tayside
WI
Borders
DG Dumfries & Galloway GGCGreater Glasgow & Clyde
Forth Valley GR Grampian HG Highland
Lanarkshire
OR Orkney SH Shetland
Western Isles
Correspondence to: The Editor, HPS Weekly Report, Health Protection Scotland,
Meridian Court, 5 Cadogan Street, Glasgow, G2 6QE, Scotland
T 0141-300 1100 F 0141-300 1172 E [email protected] W http://www.ewr.hps.scot.nhs.uk/
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Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. © Health Protection Scotland 2017