State of Disaster Emergency Extended in Iowa amid Rising Bird Flu Cases

44.6 Million Birds Affected by Deadly Avian Flu Viruses in U.S.

Iowa’s Gov. Branstad has extended a State of Disaster Emergency Proclamation until July 1 as more farms continue to report new cases of the deadly avian flu virus in their poultry flocks. The Proclmation was due to expire on May 31, 2015.

Update on Avian Influenza Findings – Poultry Findings Confirmed by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories

• Birds Affected: 44,612,573 [up from 33,521,073; additional cases pending]
• Detections Reported: 197 [previously 162]
• First Detection Reported: December 19, 2014
• Last Detection Reported: May 28, 2015 [previously reported on May 13, 2015]

Infected Commercial Flocks

Commercial flocks have been infected in at least 15 States: Arkansas, California, Idaho, Indiana (May 10, 2015), Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska (May 11, 2015), North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and  Wisconsin.

The majority of the infections have been reported in the state of Iowa, with 29,095,500 birds  affected [up from 24,815,500 on May 13,] across 18 counties, and at least 6 additional flocks being tested for the deadly virus(es).

• Minnesota has the second highest number of infections, with 8,220,760 birds affected.
• Nebraska has 3,794,100 affected birds.

• Wisconsin reported 1,950,733 birds.

• South Dakota has 1,116,200 affected birds.
  

Wild Flocks with Infection Found in at least 5 States: Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Wild Bird HPAI Cases in the United States
A list prepared by National Flyway Council reports HPAI cases in wild bird flocks across the following states:

• CA, ID, KS, KY, MN, MO, NM, NV, OR, WA, WI and WY.

Key Points: HPAI H5  [CDC Influenza Division]

• Increased outreach, reporting and surveillance activities in the United States followed the detection of HPAI H5N2 among commercial poultry flocks in Canada in early December 2014.

• USDA has reported
  • HPAI H5N8 virus in California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Nevada.
  • HPAI H5N2 virus in Nebraska, Indiana, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kentucky.
  • HPAI H5N1 virus in Washington.
  • H5 virus in a wild bird in New Mexico, but diagnostic test did not determine the neuraminidase (NA).

• HPAI H5N8, HPAI H5N2 and HPAI H5N1 viruses with this combination of genes had not been detected previously in the United States.

A strain of avian flu, EA-H5N8, which had previously been found only in the Western U.S., was detected in a backyard mixed poultry flock in Whitley County, Indiana on May 11, APHIS reported.

WILD BIRD HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA  [Last updated by APHIS on May 14, 2013]

• WILD BIRD HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA CASES IN THE UNITED STATES

Background and Additional Links

• ‘Unprecedented’ Flu Outbreak Baffles Scientists April 22, 2015
• State of Emergency Declared in Dallas County due to Bird Flu May 9, 2015
• State of Emergency Declared in Nebraska in Bird Flu Epidemic May 15, 2015

Significant Earthquakes – June 1, 2015

Earthquakes Strike BFZ

M5.5, Off the coast of Oregon (44.553°N, 129.544°W) 2015-06-01 10:46:27 UTC,  depth=10.0 km
M4.3, Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 07:01:20 UTC, depth=10.0 km
M 5.8 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 06:52:41 UTC, depth=10.0 km
[Source: USGS/EHP]

Alaska

Magnitude: 5.1Mw
Location: 51.319°N, 178.223°E (72km SSW of Little Sitkin Island, Alaska)
Depth: 38.1 km
Time: 2015-05-31 18:07:49 UTC
[Source: USGS/EHP]

English Channel

Magnitude: 3.2ML [Richter scale]
Region: FRANCE
Date/time: 2015-06-01 12:20:15.0 UTC
Location: 49.93 N ; 0.47 E
Depth: 1 km
Distances:

• 180 km S of City of London, United Kingdom / pop: 7,556,900 /
• 71 km NW of Rouen, France / pop: 112,787 /
• 20 km NW of Cany-Barville, France / pop: 3,463 /

[Source: EMSC]

North of Svalbard

Magnitude: 5.2Mw
Time: 2015-06-01 12:57:52 UTC
Location: 86.123°N 31.961°E (724km,  NNE of Nord, Greenland)
Depth=10.0 km
[Source: USGS/EHP]

Violence Continue to Take a Terrible Toll on ALL Iraqis: UN

At least 1,031 Iraqis killed, 1,684 others wounded in May 2015

A total of at least 1,031 Iraqis were killed and another 1,684 were wounded in acts of armed conflict, terrorism and violence across Iraq in May 2015*, according to casualty figures released by UNAMI today (June 1, 2015).

The fatalities included 665 civilians, and 366 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (including Peshmerga, SWAT and militias fighting alongside the Iraqi Army / Not including casualties from Anbar Operations).

Up to 240,000 persons have been displaced from and within Anbar Governorate to date, UNAMI reported.

“Current developments in and around the city of Ramadi and in Anbar Governorate once again showed grave consequences of ISIL’s actions for civilians, as around 237,786 individuals have been displaced from and within Anbar Governorate to date, while thousands were killed and injured, sometimes in the most horrendous way”, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq Jan Kubiš said, underscoring that a military solution alone will not be enough to defeat ISIL. “For any military gains to be sustainable, the government of Iraq must adopt a set of confidence-building measures towards disaffected communities, enabling them to assume a share in governing their matters, and assuring them of the State’s ability to ensure their protection from violence, to deliver justice and create conditions for their fair participation in society”, SRSG Kubiš further stated.

* CAVEATS: In general, UNAMI has been hindered in effectively verifying casualties in conflict areas. Figures for casualties from Anbar Governorate are provided by the Health Directorate and are noted below. Casualty figures obtained from the Anbar Health Directorate might not fully reflect the real number of casualties in those areas due to the increased volatility of the situation on the ground and the disruption of services. In some cases, UNAMI could only partially verify certain incidents. UNAMI has also received, without being able to verify, reports of large numbers of casualties along with unknown numbers of persons who have died from secondary effects of violence after having fled their homes due to exposure to the elements, lack of water, food, medicines and health care. For these reasons, the figures reported have to be considered as the absolute minimum.

M5.8 Quake Strikes Off Oregon Coast

Significant quake strikes Blanco Fracture Zone

Centered at 44.435°N, 129.768°W the quake occurred at a depth of 10km, said USGS/EHP.

The event was followed by at least one significant aftershock, measuring 4.3Mw, as of posting.

EQ Details

Magnitude: 5.8Mw
Location: 44.435°N, 129.768°W  depth=10km
Time: 2015-06-01 at 06:52:41 UTC
Distances:

• 453km (281mi) W of Waldport, Oregon
• 536km (333mi) W of Salem, Oregon