(WEST TRENTON) – Governor Jon S.
Corzine and Homeland Security and Preparedness Director
Richard L. Cañas gathered today with top State
officials to conduct a Pandemic Influenza Exercise –
a drill involving the fictional scenario of a deadly avian
flu outbreak.
The drill, conducted as a “tabletop”
or theoretical and logistical discussion, was held at
New Jersey State Police Headquarters. It was designed
to assess New Jersey’s ability to respond to a pandemic
event; identify any communication gaps between State agencies;
and help direct the State’s ongoing planning for
a possible pandemic.
Governor Corzine and Director Cañas
pointed out after today’s exercise that the drill
is the most recent step in New Jersey’s long practice
of planning for a possible pandemic flu outbreak. The
Governor and Director held a news conference after the
exercise with Attorney General Zulima V. Farber, Commissioner
of Health and Senior Services Dr. Fred M. Jacobs, Secretary
of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus, and State Police Superintendent
Rick Fuentes.
The Department of Health and Senior Services
began preparing for an influenza pandemic in 1999 when
they began development of their influenza plan. This plan
has been refined and updated many times, shared with partners
and stakeholders and posted on the Department website.
The Department of Agriculture routinely
conducts tests at all live bird markets in New Jersey,
and makes testing available to poultry producers who request
it. If any of the preliminary tests indicate the existence
of a form of avian influenza, the samples are sent to
the USDA laboratory in Ames, Iowa for further testing.
To date, no highly pathogenic form of avian influenza
has been detected in New Jersey.
The Department of Environmental Protection’s
Division of Fish and Wildlife has been monitoring wild
bird and game bird health for more than 20 years. DEP
has stepped up the effort to include surveillance of these
birds for avian influenza.
Governor Corzine, responding to the ongoing
concerns that the avian influenza strain “H5N1”
could mutate into a form transmissible between humans,
called for today’s exercise as part of his commitment
to build on these existing programs and enhance New Jersey’s
preparedness.
On May 31, the Governor and DHHS will
host the New Jersey Pandemic Influenza Summit, at a location
that will soon be announced. The event will feature Federal
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael
Leavitt along with other Federal health and security officials
to describe national preparedness. Governor Corzine, Commissioner
Jacobs and other state leaders will discuss State preparedness
plans. The afternoon will feature two panel discussions
covering a wide range of influenza pandemic preparedness
issues.
To aid in pandemic influenza awareness,
and to help individuals, families and businesses create
their own plans for a pandemic event, the following State
and Federal websites offer detailed information:
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior
Services’ Pandemic and Avian Influenza Web Page:
http://www.state.nj.us/health/er/avianflu.shtml
New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s
Avian Influenza Web Page: http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/ah/diseases/avian_influenza.html
Federal Government’s “One-Stop
Shopping” page on Pandemic Flu Preparedness:
http:// www.pandemicflu.gov
