ANPA’s Victorian vice-president Douglas McClary has been spreading the warning messages about the PMV1 virus and its repercussions in the national media in the last day.

Doug featured in a page 3 story in The Australian newspaper, and was photographed with a British Show Racer. The bird was also on the front page pointing to the story.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/pigeon-keepers-home-in-on-killer-virus/story-e6frg8y6-1226235968297
Doug was later interviewed on ABC Radio Brisbane and again gave clear warnings about the impacts of the disease on the pigeon industry and the urgent need for vaccine in Australia.
Here are the links to the radio story

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/01/04/3401986.htm?site=brisbane (ABC Brisbane)

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/local/brisbane/201201/r876837_8621380.mp3 (Audio File Quick time player).

DPI VICTORIA LATEST:
Paramyxovirus (PPMV1) in Pigeons: Situation Update
As of 23 December 2011, DPI has placed 55 premises under quarantine, all where the pigeon paramyxovirus (PMV1) has been confirmed.

Thirty-eight properties have now had quarantine removed after following guidance from DPI on the required level of disinfection of their premises.

PMV1 has been detected in both racing pigeons and fancy pigeons (ie domestic pigeons). No poultry have tested positive and there are currently no confirmed unusual disease events in commercial or backyard poultry flocks. The outbreak appears to be confined to the Greater Melbourne area and Shepparton/Tatura.

Since October 2011, PMV1 was detected in wild pigeons (Columbia livia) in twelve locations in Melbourne. Given the proximity to several known infected premises, it is considered most likely that the source of infection in these wild pigeons was from infection in domestic pigeons.

Movement of infected birds is the principal method by which the disease is spreading. Movement of pigeons risks introducing the disease to new properties where it may kill the majority or all of the pigeons. Good biosecurity will prevent contact between infected and uninfected pigeons, wild or domesticated.