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Press Release
Kimberley Smith |
(301) 734-6464 |
Jerry Redding |
(202) 720-6959 |
USDA QUARANTINES AREAS IN TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO FOR EXOTIC NEWCASTLE
DISEASE
Secretary Veneman Declares Extraordinary Emergency
WASHINGTON, April 11, 2003--The U.S. Department of Agriculture
announced today that it has quarantined El Paso and Hudspeth counties,
Texas, and Dona Ana, Luna and Otero counties, N.M., due to detections of
exotic Newcastle disease (END).
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman declared an extraordinary animal
disease emergency that allows USDA to take any necessary actions to
prevent the spread of END.
END, a contagious and fatal viral disease that affects all species of
birds, was confirmed in backyard poultry on a premises in El Paso, Texas,
on April 9. USDA's quarantine restricts the movement of birds,
poultry, products and materials that could spread END from the area.
USDA, working cooperatively with the state of Texas, has sent a team of
veterinarians and other personnel to the state to prevent the spread of
the disease. This team will begin identifying infected flocks,
imposing quarantines, euthanizing and disposing of birds when appropriate
and cleaning and disinfecting infected sites. USDA is also providing
educational information to community residents and the poultry
industry.
END, which does not pose a significant health risk to humans, is one
the most infectious poultry diseases in the world, with a death rate of
almost 100 percent in unvaccinated poultry flocks. The disease is
spread primarily through direct contact between healthy birds or poultry
and the bodily discharges of infected birds or poultry.
For more information on END, visit USDA's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Services' Web site at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/enc/exoticnc.html.
Notice of this action was effective April 10, and is scheduled to
appear in the April 16 Federal Register. APHIS documents
published in the Federal Register and related information,
including the names of organizations and individuals who have commented on
APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before June 16.
Comments may be submitted by postal mail, commercial delivery or by
e-mail. Send an original and three copies of postal or commercial
delivery comments to Docket No. 02-117-5, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
Riverdale, Md. 20737-1238. If you use e-mail, address your comments
to regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Comments must be contained in the body of
the message; do not send attached files. Please include your name
and address in the message and use "Docket No. 02-117-5" on the subject
line.
Comments may be reviewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th
Street and Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays Persons
wishing to review comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817
to facilitate entry into the comment reading room.
#
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