MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE CORE GROUP CONSTITUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE EQUINE INFLUENZA HELD AT 3.00 P.M. ON SATURDAY, 22ND NOVEMBER 2008, RACECOURSE, MUMBAI

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE CORE GROUP CONSTITUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE EQUINE INFLUENZA HELD AT 3.00 P.M. ON SATURDAY, 22^ND NOVEMBER 2008, IN THE PARTY ROOM, ABOVE THE WEIGHING ROOM, RACE COURSE, MUMBAI:

 

Present :-

 

Mr. Shivlal Daga                     -           Chairman, Co-ordination Committee, TAI

Mr. Geoffrey Nagpal              -           representative of WIRHOA Ltd

Diwan Arun Nanda                  -           representative of WIRHOA Ltd

Mr. NHS Mani                         -           Deputy Secretary, RWITC Ltd

Dr D Swaminathan                  -           Senior Veterinary Officer, RWITC Ltd

Mr. P Shroff                            -           representative of WITA Ltd

Dr Anil Kumar                         -           representative of WITA Ltd

                                                                                                                        

Having been duly proposed and seconded, Diwan Arun Nanda took the Chair for the meeting.

 

Mr Zavaray S Poonawalla, representative of the RWITC Ltd was granted leave of absence from the meeting.

 

Mr Nanda enquired about the request of the WIRHOA Ltd regarding engagement of Dr Hasneyn Mirza to which the Deputy Secretary responded that the Committee of the Club having considered this request decided that it would be more appropriate for the WIRHOA Ltd to engage Dr Mirza to advise them in the matter and that, if necessary, the Club would consider reimbursing the expenses related to engagement of Dr Mirza. Mr Nanda stated that he already had an informal talk with Dr Mirza who has agreed in principle to assist. As regards his professional fee, he would have to be paid Rs.15,000 per visit as consultation fee plus out-of-pocket expenses.   Mr Nanda stated that Dr Mirza should be appointed and he and Dr Swaminathan could co-ordinate everything. Dr. Mirza's appointment was confirmed.

 

Mr Shroff informed that they are happy with the engagement of Dr Mirza and that they were happy with the advice they were receiving from him. Dr Anil Kumar opined that Dr Mirza could hardly contribute anything now since the entire horse population at the RWITC Ltd, except about 120 horses, had gone through the Equine Influenza and at present the affected horses were convalescing.

 

Mr Geoffrey Nagpal stated that Mr Mirza was familiar with handling the disease and his advice would certainly be beneficial. Mr Nagpal stated that Dr Swaminathan has really done a good job and that Dr Mirza could co-ordinate with Dr Swaminathan. Dr Swaminathan stated that if there was any set back after the work, the expertise of Dr Mirza would be useful in scanning/scrutinizing the scanning done and his opinion could be taken as a second opinion. Mr Nanda stated that Dr Swaminathan is the Senior Veterinary Officer who was responsible and accountable whereas Dr Mirza would be a consultant who could give his input which would certainly be beneficial.

 

Mr P Shroff stated that the affected horses have come out of the disease; however, a second opinion on scanning etc would be useful.

 

Thereafter a discussion took place on the letter dated 15^th November 2008 from the WITA Ltd after which the same was taken note of.

The following were also tabled and considered:-

 

(a)               Clinical symptoms data from 3^rd November 2008 to 22^nd November 2008 submitted by Dr Swaminathan;

 

(b)               Letter dated 22^nd November 2008 from Mr P Shroff and Dr Anil Kumar regarding suggested infection protocol for equine.

 

(c)                List of unaffected horses

 

(d)               Statistics concerning affected horses

 

As regards disinfection in Pune, Dr Swaminathan elaborated on the disinfection plan and mentioned that there would be disinfection undertaken periodically and that one round of the disinfection was already completed. He stated that the next round would be from 24^th November and thereafter one more round commencing on 1^st December and thereafter one further round commencing on 15^th December 2008. It was decided to check the bacterial load before and after disinfection.

 

Mr Daga stated that he has identified the area for making vehicle dips in the stable area at the Mumbai Race Course and directed the office to make these dips in consultation with him.

 

Dr Swaminathan showed the data which he has collected from the trainers concerning each horse. On being asked he stated that these details were provided by each trainer duly signed. He further stated that all the trainers have not given this data and he was in possession of data concerning only about 600 horses and the data concerning the remaining horses was awaited. Mr Nanda asked Dr Swaminathan to give a cut off date to the remaining trainers to submit their data by 24^th November 2008.

 

The Deputy Secretary tabled the sample of the new saddle cloth with a different colour and number and it was decided to issue the new saddle cloth as decided earlier to those horses who are permitted by the Panel of Vets to work and when these horses come to Mumbai they could use their original saddle cloth.

 

Dr Swaminathan informed that he has already spoken to the Private Veterinarians and Dr S K Kulkarni and Dr K M Nair have agreed to assist in the panel to examine the horses before and after their work.

 

During further discussions, it was clarified that horses who have not completed a minimum period of four weeks post infection would not be permitted to work under any circumstances.

 

Dr Swaminathan stated that the blood picture of the non-affected horses were taken and auscultation would be done on Sunday, 23^rd November 2008. He also stated that all those horses not affected will have to undergo examination before trotting and if there was any abnormality found they would not be permitted to trot till they fully recover.

 

Letter dated 21^st November 2008 from Mr P Shroff and Dr Anil Kumar was tabled and considered. It was decided that disinfection of the Equine Hospital and Equine Pool be undertaken on a regular basis. Mr Shroff suggested that there has to be Standard Operating Procedures for combating all these kinds of diseases. Mr Daga stated that strangles and Equine Influenza did not come via visiting horses and they have come through human beings. He nevertheless stated that norms for visiting horses to be tightened up. He further stated that SOP for strangles was being made. He went on to add that stud farms should have protocol as to how the yearlings would be handled including vaccination programme etc. The other points on the letter were taken note of.

 

Regarding the test report from NRCE, Mr Daga stated that sera samples from Delhi and Pune on the first 10 samples showed negativity except one sample from each station (Pune and Delhi). He stated that NRCE had not yet given the details of the virus involved in the outbreak of Equine Influenza at RWITC Ltd. On being asked Mr Daga stated that the Subtype-2 virus was involved in the outbreak at Katra in Jammu and Kashmir and therefore it could be safely presumed that the same virus would have caused the outbreak in RWITC Ltd as well as it would be farfetched that another type had come to Pune.

 

During general discussion it was noted that many people outside felt that though samples have been sent to NRCE, the type of virus has not been declared by NRCE, though a considerable time has elapsed. It was explained that to diagnose the exact strain of the virus culturing and other elaborative procedures were required to be done which takes atleast 3 to 6 months. For example, it was noted that in the case of samples taken from Katra, though the samples were taken sometime in July 2008, the NRCE declared the strain sometime in October 2008. It was therefore felt that there was no unnecessary delay in diagnosing the strain of virus.

 

It was noted that the NRCE team has visited and drawn second samples on 15^th November 2008 and these samples were sent to NRCE by air. These results were expected to be received around 30^th November 2008.

 

Mr Shroff stated that the trainers be updated with these kind of diseases. Mr Daga stated that there was a seminar to be held in Hissar on 29^th November 2008 and if any of the trainers were desirous of attending the same, Mr Daga could arrange for the invitation.

 

With regard to removal of Bichali, the Senior Veterinary Officer stated that the bichali removed from the stables were dumped in the pits in the centre of the Race Course. Now the pits were full in the centre and therefore the dumped bichali would have to be taken out whilst bichali from the stables would continue to be dumped in the centre of the Race Course.

 

It was decided to hold the next meeting of the Core Group at 11.30 a.m. on Sunday, 30^th November 2008 in Pune.

 

There being no other points the meeting terminated.