Emergency Disease Response – The Role of the State

1. Emergency Disease Response – The Role of the State Ian Anderson Tropical and Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory Biosecurity Queensland

2. Introduction • Australian government and state/territory governments have specific areas of responsibilities. • State governments are responsible for disease control and eradication within their own boundaries. • A formal emergency response organisation and structures used to manage disease emergencies (specific roles at specific sites) • Use documents developed nationally to support response activities • Activation of an aquatic animal disease emergency • Control centres in a disease emergency • Principles of control and eradication • Strategies to prevent spread and eliminate WSSV

3. Emergency Disease Response Reference documents: → AQUAVETPLAN Disease Strategy Manuals: • Enterprise Manual • White spot disease • Control Centres Management Manual • Destruction • Decontamination • Disposal Access documents from AG DAFF website → http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/aquatic/aquavetplan

5. Activation of an aquatic animal disease emergency White spot disease outbreak on a farm • (in Queensland) all persons required to report “diseased fisheries resources” • Fisheries Act 1994 • Section 100: A person who knows or reasonably suspects disease may be in a fisheries resource must immediately notify an inspector. • Section 104: A person must not intentionally or recklessly communicate a disease to live fisheries resources • other states/territories WSD is a declared/control disease • Usually farm will talk to fisheries/biosecurity officer, who will then talk to a laboratory fish health specialist, or will talk to the fish health specialist straight away and be requested to send appropriate prawn samples to the closest government animal health laboratory. Laboratory diagnostic testing

6. Activation of an aquatic animal disease emergency - 2 Investigation phase • Collect information from farm • Get samples to the animal health laboratory • Inform state Chief Veterinary Officer and Director of Fisheries • Initial steps to limit spread of disease with voluntary quarantine by farm Alert phase • Diagnosis in state laboratory then samples sent to FDL-AAHL to confirm diagnosis • CVO/DF advises within government and other states that a disease emergency may be imminent or already exists in the state • Collect more samples and begin epidemiological investigations • Key industry contacts advised of emergency – usually confidential and at a state level. Operational phase • Once diagnosis confirmed an official disease emergency exists and …..

7. Control centres in a disease emergency Aquatic CCEAD

8. Control centres in a disease emergency Aquatic Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease (AqCCEAD) • National Coordinating Group State Disease Control Headquarters (SDCHQ) • Strategic management of disease outbreak • Interdepartmental and interstate co-ordination • Communications Local Disease Control Centre (LDCC) • Located close to outbreak for operational efficiency • Responsible for the management of field operations • Managers for planning, operations and logistics Forward Command Posts (FCP 1, FCP 2 etc) • Scaled down LDCC • A base for field operations Infected premises/area (IP/IA)

9. SDCHQ

10. LDCC

11. Principles of Control and Eradication There are three possible response options for WSD control: • Eradication • Containment, control and zoning • Control and mitigation of disease Within these options, general principles include: • Rapid detection and identification of infection • Rapid definition of the extent of the problem • Rapid implementation of control measures; by controlling stock and water movement • Prevention of viral spread • Maintain good management practises and high hygienic standards

12. Principles of Control and Eradication - 2 Deciding on the most appropriate option will depend on: • Location and presence or absence of reservoirs of infection • Chances of success of eradication • Level of risk accepted for future spread of infection • Short-term costs of control and disruption to production • Long-term costs of production with or without the presence of WSSV • Long-term costs of control should WSSV become endemic

13. Strategies to prevent spread and eliminate WSSV A combination of strategies can be used in any of the response options Including: • Quarantine and movement controls • Destruction of clinically diseased or dead prawns • Decontamination of facilities, products and things • Surveillance • Zoning • Hygiene and biosecurity measures aimed at mitigating the on-farm effects of WSD

14. Strategies to prevent spread and eliminate WSSV - 2 • Quarantine and movement controls • Tracing • Surveillance • Destruction of crustaceans • Treatment of prawn products and by-products • Disposal of animal products and by-products • Decontamination • Vector control • Sentinel and restocking measures • Public awareness

15. Strategies to prevent spread and eliminate WSSV - 3 Quarantine and movement controls Free area Infected property IP Restricted area (RA) Control Area (CA) Dangerous contact premise (DCP) Suspect area (SA)

16. Strategies to prevent spread and eliminate WSSV - 4 • Quarantine and movement controls • Tracing • Surveillance • Destruction of crustaceans • Treatment of prawn products and by-products • Disposal of animal products and by-products • Decontamination • Vector control • Sentinel and restocking measures • Public awareness

17. Stand-down phase • If investigations in the alert phase fail to confirm the existence of an emergency disease. • When it is confirmed the disease and virus has been eradicated; slow wind down of field activities, the LDCC and SDCHQ. • Decision when infection is widespread or present in wild prawn populations it may be that measures for control and mitigation are implemented at the local farm level and the emergency response ends. Thank you