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New bird flu threat in China
04/01/2006 10:35 - (SA)
Beijing - China on Wednesday confirmed a new outbreak of bird flu in its southwest province of Sichuan but the Agriculture Ministry said the situation there was under control.
More than 1 800 birds were found dead on December 22 at a farm in Dazhu County, Sichuan province, according to a statement on the Agriculture Ministry website.
On January 3 samples tested at a laboratory confirmed that the birds had died from the H5N1 virus, which has killed millions of birds and more than 71 people in Asia since late 2003. More than 12 900 birds at the farm in Liu Jian village, Yang Jia town have since been culled to halt the spread of the virus.
Two ministry officials have been dispatched to the site to investigate bird flu prevention and control work, the statement continued but no further details were give.
China has reported 26 outbreaks in chickens, ducks and other poultry in areas throughout the country since October 19 2005.
Authorities have destroyed millions of birds to contain outbreaks and are in the midst of a campaign to inoculate all of China's 5.2bn poultry.
The ministry statement did not refer to any confirmed or possible human infections. China has reported seven cases of bird flu in humans, three of which have been fatal.
Most human infections have been the result of contact with sick birds, but scientists fear that the H5N1 virus could mutate into a form that passes easily among humans, sparking a human flu pandemic that could kill millions.
Health officials in China are especially concerned about the risk of transmission during the Lunar New Year in late January, when large shipments of poultry are moved around the country to supply family banquets.
Officials contacted at the ministry confirmed the details of the report but declined to comment further.
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