The veterinary authority in Israel sent Follow Up Report No. 3 dated 17 December to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The report describes four outbreaks of Newcastle disease starting between 1 and 7 December, one in the north and three in the southern part of the country.

The first outbreak, on 1 December, was in the north of the country at Ashdot Ya"Aqov, involving 73,000 turkeys in two flocks in the same area. The first flock comprised 35,000 16-week-old male turkeys. The females in that flock were slaughtered on 5 December 2012. In the slaughterhouse, changes were observed in the lungs and samples were sent to the laboratory. The second flock comprised 38,000 eight-week-old turkeys. No birds in either flock showed any clinical signs. Quarantine has been applied. It is reported that 7,000 birds were slaughtered.

The other outbreaks were in the Beer-Sheva in southern Israel. In the first, 3,000 birds of a flock of 28,500 turkeys died. The second involved a flock of 4,600 four-week-old broilers, 200 of which died; the rest were destroyed. The flock has not been accurately vaccinated, according to the report, and respiratory clinical signs and duodenal ulcers were observed. The third of the outbreaks in this region was in a flock of 255,000 six-week-old broilers, 2,500 of which died and the rest were destroyed. Respiratory signs were observed and in post-mortem, ulcers in the duodenum were seen.

Further Reading Find out more information on Newcastle disease by clicking here.