Pennsylvania Bulletin

PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 97-1252

NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Revised General Quarantine Order

[27 Pa.B. 4007]

   The Department of Agriculture (Department) hereby gives notice of a revision to a General Quarantine Order it issued on May 16, 1997. The May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order was published at 27 Pa. B. 2650 (May 31, 1997), and established a general quarantine with respect to portions of Rapho, Penn, East Hempfield and West Hempfield Townships, in Lancaster County.

   The Revised General Quarantine Order was issued on July 25, 1997, and is set forth in its entirety at Annex A.

   The May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order was entered as a result of the presence of the H7N2 Avian Influenza virus in several poultry flocks within the quarantined area. Since this general quarantine was initiated, the Department has also encountered antibody evidence of the H5 Avian Influenza virus in the quarantined area. The Revised General Quarantine Order addresses the possible presence of the H5 Avian Influenza virus and makes technical changes deemed appropriate in light of the Department's administration of the general quarantine to date.

   The general quarantine and this Revised General Quarantine Order are authorized under the Domestic Animal Law (3 Pa.C.S. §§ 2329(a) and (d)). Those same statutory provisions require the prompt publication of this notice.

   Further information may be obtained from the following source: Max VanBuskirk, Director, Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services, Department of Agriculture, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408, (717) 783-6677.

Annex A

Revised General Quarantine Order

   Whereas, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture issued a General Quarantine Order on May 16, 1997;

   Whereas, the aforedescribed May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order was subsequently published at 27 Pa. Bulletin 2650 (May 31, 1997);

   Whereas, the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order was issued under authority of the Domestic Animal Law (3 Pa.C.S. Section 2329(a) and (d);

   Whereas, the objective of the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order was to facilitate the identification, containment and eradication of the H7N2 Avian Influenza virus among poultry flocks in an area of Lancaster County designated the ''Quarantined Area'';

   Whereas, in the course of this identification, containment and eradication effort the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has also encountered antibody evidence of the H5 Avian Influenza virus; and

   Whereas, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture hereby revises the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order to reflect the possible presence of the H5 Avian Influenza virus and to make changes deemed advisable in light of its experience in administering the quarantine to date.

   Now, Therefore, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, pursuant to the authority granted it under the Domestic Animal Law and Section 1702 of the Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. Section 442), orders the following:

   1.  The May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order shall continue to remain in full force and effect, except to the extent it is expanded, revised or supplanted by the provisions of this Revised General Quarantine Order.

   2.  The provisions of the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order applicable to premises and flocks within the Quarantined Area where the H7 Avian Influenza virus or its antibody is detected are henceforth also applicable to premises and flocks within the Quarantined Area where the H5 Avian Influenza virus or its antibody is detected.

   3.  Paragraph 6(b) of the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order is revised to read as follows:

   Permit may be issued for movement of poultry and poultry products quarantined because of evidence of H7 or H5 if the influenza virus is not highly pathogenic according to USDA studies under the following conditions:

   4.  Paragraph 6(b)(1) of the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order is revised to read as follows:

   In the absence of clinical signs of influenza a permit may be issued for the biosecure movement of eggs to a pasteurization facility. If clinical signs of influenza are present only sanitized eggs may be moved under such a permit for pasteurization.

   5.  Paragraph 6(b)(2) of the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order is revised to read as follows:

   A permit may be issued to move live poultry directly to slaughter or to move live poultry to another quarantined premises if there are no clinical signs of influenza and if virus detection tests of poultry and the environment are found to be negative.

   6.  Paragraph 7 of the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order is revised to read in its entirety as follows:

   The following describes the circumstances under which a Special Quarantine imposed under paragraph 4 may be released:

   (a)  A Special Quarantine imposed under paragraph 4 may be released when all of the following occur:

   (1)  All live poultry have been depopulated, whether by euthanizing and disposing of the poultry according to protocol established and supervised by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, or by removing the poultry in accordance with a permit issued under Paragraph 6(b)(2); and

   (2)  All poultry carcasses and parts thereof, eggs, litter and refuse have been properly disposed of; and

   (3)  The premises, buildings and equipment have been cleaned and disinfected and rodent vectors have been eliminated, in accordance with protocol established by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

   (b)  A Special Quarantine imposed under paragraph 4 may be released when culture swabs of the subject birds, premises, buildings and equipment are influenza virus negative in two tests at least 30 days apart.

   7.  Paragraph 8 of the May 16, 1997 General Quarantine Order is revised to read as follows:

   The General Quarantine may be removed when investigation, including laboratory testing of tissues and/or environmental samples, reveals no H7 or H5 virus in the Quarantined Area.

   8.  This Revised General Quarantine Order is effective this 25th day of July, 1997.

SAMUEL E. HAYES, Jr.,
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 97-1252. Filed for public inspection August 8, 1997, 9:00 a.m.]

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