Dead cat in Germany had most dangerous form of bird flu

[Angel]

BERLIN : A dead cat found on the German island of Ruegen this week was infected with the highly pathogenic form of H5N1 bird flu that can be fatal to humans, the national veterinary laboratory said.

The Friedrich Loeffler Institute said the cat had exactly the same, highly contagious strain of the virus detected in wild swans found on the Baltic Sea island, the epicentre of Germany's bird flu outbreak.

It said this was the first case of its kind in the European Union.

The laboratory referred to the type of H5N1 found in the cat as the "Asian" strain of the virus that has claimed 93 human lives since 2003.

It also killed domestic cats, tigers and a panther in Asia in 2004, leading German scientists to remark that they were not surprised a feline here had succumbed to the disease.

The cat was found near a docked ferry on Ruegen, the same spot where infected wild swans were found in mid-February, signalling the start of the outbreak in Germany.

The case has prompted the German authorities to order pet owners in bird flu-hit regions from the Baltic to the southern border with Switzerland to keep cats indoors and dogs on leashes.

It has also heightened fears of a long-running epidemic in Germany that could infect poultry and humans.

German media reported on Thursday that Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer was considering restricting access to the country's poultry farms, which have so far been spared the virus. - AFP /dt

cat in Germany

 

[Liebling:-)))]

Yeah, I created a thread at 2 days ago.
http://www.alldeaf.com/showthread.php?t=25317

 

[IslandGal]

It is scary

 

[Liebling:-)))]

Cat Death Puts Some German Pets on Short Leash

Cat Death Puts Some German Pets on Short Leash

Germany ordered cats to be kept indoors and dogs on leashes in five states hit by bird flu.

After the deadly bird flu was found to have killed a cat on the German Baltic Sea island of Rügen, where the virus was first detected in the country, consumer protection agency officials said cats must be kept indoors, and dogs on leashes.

The government said the order would take effect immediately in a radius of three kilometers (1.8 miles) of all areas where infected wild birds have been found.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: When outdoors, cats may look for birds

So far, the flu has been found in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Crisis team meeting

The cat, which authorities said was a stray, was found on the Baltic Sea island of Rügen, where the deadly H5N1 was detected in birds earlier this month. It was the first case in Germany of the bird flu being transmitted to a mammal.

Meanwhile, a government crisis team continued to meet in Berlin, to discuss measures against the deadliest form of the virus.

WHO: 'No increased human threat'

The cat grabbed the headlines in several countries in Europe, but the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva said it did not increase the threat to human health from the virus. Since late 2003, 93 people have died from bird flu, but they have contracted the virus from contact with infected birds.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The dead cat on Rügen was said to be a stray

There is no present evidence that domestic cats play a role in the transmission cycle of H5N1 viruses. To date, no human case has been linked to exposure to a diseased cat," it said. "Unlike the case in domestic and wild birds, there is no evidence that domestic cats are a reservoir of the virus."

Bird flu has killed or led to the culling of some 200 million birds since it re-emerged in Asia in late 2003. The real fear for human health is that the virus will mutate into a form that passes easily from person to person, sparking a pandemic in which millions could die.

Representatives of German state and local governments today agreed in a telephone conference to examine dead mammals found in areas already known to contain the H5N1 virus, or those where deaths seem suspicious.

Bird lockdown could drag on

But they recommended against vaccinating house cats, saying it was not target-oriented enough, since there is no appropriate vaccination.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Soldiers in protective clothing combed the island of Rügen for dead fowl
Meanwhile, Germany's agriculture ministry has said Germany may be forced to keep domesticated birds enclosed through April.

"We may have no choice, if the flu keeps raging beyond the migration period," said Agriculture Secretary Gert Lindemann, who is heading up the task force that met in Berlin Wednesday.

Animal supporters warn of panic

The German Animal Protection League warned of an unnecessary panic outbreak. Cats do not need to be kept indoors Germany-wide, they said in a statement, but in areas where the bird flu has already been found, owners should keep close watch over their animals.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,2142,1432,00.html

 

[Kalista]

Liebling

Do you let your cats outside ? If I were you. I wouldnt let my cats outdoor, it is too scary :Ohno:

 

[Angel]

Opps, I'm sorry Liebling, I didn't see your thread and I did click search but your thread didn't come up....

 

[Liebling:-)))]

Don´t worry, ^Angel^

Kalista

Island of Rügen is East Seaside in North-East Germany which around 7 hours away from my area (Bavaria, southern of Germany)... I would make sure my cats stay indoor if Bird-flu bird come to Bavaria but they stopped after found first dead cat.

The TV news of yesterday told us to not worry too much about our pets... They already stopped after found dead cat..


My both cats are indoor cat and stay at my garden, never go out of my property... (I have metal fence and gate to protect my cats)...


*I learned yesterday that I will be Grandma. *

 

[Angel]

More kittens? ....Give me one! :fly3:

 

[Kalista]

*I learned yesterday that I will be Grandma. *

Ugh... Aren't you telling us that your cat is pregnancy again? When will you teach her how to using protection sex and birth control method?

No wonder, she watched

your husband and you in the bed every night. Keep shut your door !

 

[Liebling:-)))]

Ugh... Aren't you telling us that your cat is pregnancy again?

No, it´s first time... Last one is fail alarm... I thought she has because she was disappeared for 5 days that´s time she was heat... I told you in my thread of last year that I thought automaic that she is pregnant. She´s not... *phew* I want her to be fix but it cost $90... It´s expensive... so we want her to fix after January but we weren´t realized that she´s pregnant... During that cold winter... Normally cats get kittens in Spring... but winter... My hubby was like when other neighbor told him to let her know when Kim has kittens because her daughter want one. My hubby told her that there´re no kittens available.. Neighbor laughed at him telling him that Kim is already pregnant... She showed him what she know... My hubby told me when he came home from work... I was like :jaw: and check her 8 breasts.. yes she has 8 thick and bright pink nipples... and her stomach is noticable... We thought she is fat... because she eat too much...

When will you teach her how to using protection sex and birth control method?

:Oops: we ar terrible parents and never teach my daughter how to use sex protection... We thought we would teach Kim when she´s old enough... :Oops:

But but but Kim can´t help it because she was rape by Tomcat...

No wonder, she watched

your husband and you in the bed every night. Keep shut your door !

Yep, it´s stupid of us...

 

[GalaxyAngel]