The central government has directed all localities to strengthen
efforts to prevent a possible outbreak of the highly pathogenic
avian influenza, or bird flu, this autumn and winter.?
According to a circular recently issued by the Ministry of
Agriculture, strict poultry immunization programs should be
conducted in key areas and birds should be quarantined before and
after butchering.
“Sterilization of facilities should also be carefully done to
remove all potential accumulations. Farms, slaughterhouses,
markets, refrigerated warehouses and transport equipment should be
disinfected,” it says.
In the autumn and winter, chances increase for the deadly H5N1
virus to be carried over distances by migrating birds.
“Various localities of the country must understand the current
situation and increase their sense of responsibility in preventing
the highly pathogenic bird flu,” the circular says.
It directs local authorities to coordinate plans to optimize
efficiency and effectiveness.
Forty-two people in Thailand and Vietnam have been infected with
the virus since last winter, and 30 of them have died. Last week, a
young Thai woman died in what is believed to be the first
documented human-to-human transmission of the virus.
According to the World Health Organization, Thai officials have
concluded that the mother could have acquired the infection either
from some environmental source or while caring for her daughter,
and that this represents a probable case of human-to-human
transmission.
Testing is currently under way to determine whether the virus
has mutated.
The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health
Organization have released new guidelines for combating and
preventing outbreaks of bird flu following recent outbreaks in
Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The new guidelines stress the importance of surveillance and
early detection, which the agencies say governments in East Asia
are not doing well enough.
(China.org.cn, Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2004)