Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Pakistan - PAKISTAN - This is the Final Follow-up report (No. 3) via OIE on the outbreak of Avian Influenza in Pakistan.

See also: 19 March 2004, 5 March 2004, 30 January 2004

Information received on 1 April 2004 from Mr Rafaqat Hussain Raja, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Islamabad:

End of previous report period: 16 March 2004 (see Disease Information, 17 [12], 86, dated 19 March 2004).

End of this report period: 31 March 2004.

Strict biosecurity measures contained the disease. No further cases have been observed/reported; however, monitoring of the area is continuing.

No cases of human infection have been reported from anywhere in the country.

The extensive serological surveillance carried out indicated that the disease remained confined to poultry estates in Karachi district, while the rest of the country remained free.

The imposition of a temporary ban on the import of poultry and poultry products of any kind from avian influenza infected countries or from countries where the disease was currently suspected continued.

The committee comprising officials from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry Health, Provincial Livestock Departments and the National Institute of Health reviewed the situation. The results of active serological surveillance and farm disease search survey in and around the affected areas revealed no new cases of avian influenza and the committee thus recommended relaxing the ban on inter-provincial movements of poultry and their products. The ban was therefore lifted.

Vaccination in and around the suspected areas was stopped.

The efforts of the Government and the private sector have helped to restore consumer confidence in poultry and poultry products and cases have been taken up with various countries to resume exports of poultry and poultry products from Pakistan.

Source: Office International des Epizooties - 2th April 2004