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  The Straits Times 18 Nov 05
Bird flu checks for migratory birds stepped up

Today Online 18 Nov 05
Singapore steps up testing of wild birds for bird flu as winter season approaches
Lee Ching Wern chingwern@newstoday.com.sg

Channel NewsAsia 17 Nov 05
Singapore steps up bird flu tests among local and migratory birds
By Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia Related News

SINGAPORE : Tests on local and migratory birds for bird flu have been stepped up islandwide, from once a fortnight to once a week.

The tests by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and NParks also include poultry raised on farms and resident birds like mynahs and crows.

Some 100 species of migratory birds, among them the Siberian Marsh Sandpiper, flock to Singapore during the winter months between September and March each year. Starting from the northern hemisphere, they travel some 6,000 kilometres from areas like Russia, Siberia and Mongolia to South-East Asia, with stopovers in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

Sungei Buloh is one of the places migratory birds like to visit to rest and feed. Some might stay for a few days before flying off; others are known to remain here till the end of March. It is estimated some 20,000 migratory birds fly into Singapore, with the November and December months being the peak period.

Since there is no guarantee the birds are free of the avian flu virus, AVA is not letting its guard down. Said K Madhavan, head (Animal Welfare and Control Centre), AVA, "We're concerned that the migratory birds, if infected, would spread it to our poultry farms. The critical point here is to stop that avenue and for that we have got all our farms to take bio-security measures so that in the event that some migratory birds have this virus, they will not affect our farms and the trigger points will not be set."

So while the birds are in transit, NParks randomly captures different species and clips them with identification tags. AVA then takes swabs from the birds, and these samples are processed and tested. The samples are injected into eggs, which act as testbeds for viruses. The eggs are monitored to see if they grow healthily. If present, the bird flu virus can be detected between 24 to 72 hours.

Said James Gan Wan Ming, senior conservation officer, NParks, "This is a cooperative and collaborative project in which AVA is riding on Sungei Buloh's existing bird ringing programme. This is our part to enable AVA to do the necessary tests."

Since the AVA-NParks partnership began two years ago, more than 400 birds have been tested.

All were negative for the virus.

But as long as countries in the region are affected by the avian flu, AVA says the weekly surveillance will continue. - CNA /ct

Today Online 18 Nov 05
Singapore steps up testing of wild birds for bird flu as winter season approaches
Lee Ching Wern chingwern@newstoday.com.sg

As the danger of bird flu infiltrating Singapore heightens with the arrival of the winter season, the Government is stepping up the testing of wild birds for avian flu at wetlands reserves islandwide.

During the migratory season from September to March every year, about 20,000 birds flying south for the winter stop over at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Kranji for a breather. Migratory birds, in particular, are a cause of concern to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) because these birds could have come from countries affected by the disease.

To ensure visiting birds do not spark off a bird flu epidemic here, the AVA, in collaboration with the National Parks Board (NParks), increased its surveillance on these birds about two months ago.

In addition, animal health officers from the AVA perform weekly tests on the birds' faecal and blood samples. These officers visit Sungei Buloh and Pulau Ubin to trap and collect samples from migratory birds as well as resident birds such as mynahs and crows. Swabs of stool and blood samples from the birds are then sent to the AVA's Animal and Plant Health Centre for testing.

So far, the 411 birds tested here have been found to be clear of the H5N1 virus.

"There is no control over the movement of migratory birds. It is likely that they are infected from other infected migratory birds or domestic poultry," said Mr Madhavan Kannan, head of AVA's Centre for Animal Welfare and Control.

Domestic poultry such as chickens and quails are the most susceptible to bird flu. Meanwhile, many species of waterfowl, especially wild geese, ducks and swans, may carry the virus without clinical signs.

"We're concerned migratory birds may spread it to poultry farms, so the critical point is to stop that avenue," said Mr Madhavan. "For that, we've got all our farms to take bio-security measures so if some birds have it, the trigger point won't be set."

Until the whole bird flu scare blows over, Singapore will continue with the weekly surveillance.

The Straits Times 18 Nov 05
Bird flu checks for migratory birds stepped up

EVERY year, about 20,000 birds flying south for the winter take a breather at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Kranji. Many others stop off at Pulau Ubin and the Changi coastal area during the September-March migratory season.

It might be a natural marvel, but this year it brings with it the potential threat of bird flu.

To deal with this threat, Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and the National Parks Board have set up an ongoing surveillance programme to test wild birds for the virus at the wetland reserve. During this peak migratory season, officers are carrying out weekly tests.

They have also extended surveillance efforts to Pulau Ubin and widened their net to test resident birds around the island throughout the year.

More than 400 birds have already been given a clean bill of health since testing started in August 2003.

The deadly virus can infect many species of birds. In general, domestic poultry such as chickens and quails are most susceptible. Many species of waterfowl, especially wild geese, ducks and swans, may carry the virus without appearing to be ill.

However, the current H5N1 strain also appears to cause severe disease even in wild waterfowl. Why this is so is not well understood.

The AVA has given the assurance that Singapore is free from bird flu and it is safe to visit nature reserves.

However, it has warned that people should wash their hands thoroughly with soap if they come into contact with birds.
links
Singapore Government Bird Flu website
Related articles on Global issues: Bird Flu
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