WHO experts arrive to assist China
( 2004-02-02 21:35) (Xinhua)
Two experts from the
Netherlands have arrived in Beijing to assist China's campaign against the
highly pathogenic avian influenza, said the World Health Organization (WHO)
China office spokesman Roy Wadia Monday.
He said the experts would offer advice on safety issues regarding culling and
other issues, including assessment of the monitoring system and animal
vaccination.
Wadia did not release the experts' names, but said these experts had recently
assisted authorities in Vietnam, as the country grappled with its own outbreak
of the H5N1 strain of avianinfluenza.
"Their expertise was also utilized during the Netherlands' outbreak of H7N7
avian influenza in 2003," he said.
Sources with the Chinese Health Ministry said the experts arrived in Beijing
on Jan. 30 and had not yet asked to visit the locations where the bird flu was
reported.
"The WHO is in the process of identifying more international experts across a
range of disciplines so as to form a joint mission with the Chinese side," Wadia
said, declining to tell whenthe joint mission would be set up and start
operations.
China reported its first confirmed case of H5N1 bird flu on Jan.27 and
informed the UN Food and Agricultural Organization and the WHO. The Chinese side
had expressed its willingness to cooperate with international agencies to fight
the disease.
As of 8 a.m. Feb. 2, China had reported three confirmed bird flu cases in
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Hunan and HubeiProvinces. Zhejiang,
Yunnan, Henan, Guangdong and Anhui provinces as well as Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region and Shanghai Municipality reported suspected bird flu cases in
separate locations.
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