China confirms first case of bird flu
( 2004-01-27 19:38) (Xinhua)
Authorities confirmed Tuesday that the latest
death of ducks in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was caused by
the bird flu virus, but no infections in human beings have been found so far.
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| A Chinese family breeds ducks at home in
Yangshuo, Guangxi, southwest China, January 27, 2004. [China
Photo] | Right after the death report of ducks
from a duck farm in Dingdang Town, Long'an County on Friday, the local
government decimated 14,000 poultry three kilometers around the duck farm, and
quarantined all poultry five kilometers around the duck farm.
The national bird flu reference laboratory confirmed, after testing on samples
sent in by the local government, that the death was caused by the deadly
H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus.
The local government has isolated the area following the death report in
accordance with China's Law on Animal Epidemic Prevention.
A separate report on Monday said that death reports followed in a chicken
raising household in Wuxue city in central Hubei Province and in a duck raising
household in Wugang city in neighboring Hunan Province. Local veterinary
departments preliminarily diagnosed the cause of the deaths as suspect deadly
H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus. Local governments have made necessary
measures of slaughter or quarantine to prevent a spread,and sent samples to
related authorities.
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| A Thai soldier collects chicks to be
destroyed at a farm in Kanchanaburi province, 150 km ( 93 miles ) west of
Bangkok, January 27, 2004. [Reuters] | No
people have been found infected so far and the epidemic has been in control,
governments said.
The relevant ministries and local governments were closely watching on the
situations where bird deaths had been reported, and probing into the source of
the virus.
Measures have been made to strictly control exports of bird flu-affected
areas to either domestic or overseas markets.
The Ministry of Agriculture, at the order of the State Council,the Chinese
cabinet, has launched nationwide preventive and control efforts, and will
announce the epidemic surveillance information.
Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health have
informed the UN Food and Agricultural Organization andthe World Health
Organization of the cases, and said their roles in exchanges and cooperation on
bird flu prevention and control are welcome.
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