More than 20 famous scientists and public health specialists discussed the prevention and control of avian influenza at a two-day symposium that ended Wednesday in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province.

The experts shared the latest data about the outbreak and exchanged views on measures to bolster animal surveillance and preparations for tackling any human infection.

According to medical expert Ni Xuexia, who works for the national research center of animal epidemic disease, bird flu has become the No.1 killer of China's poultry and poses a major threat to public health because of the large scale of fowl raising in China. Meanwhile, China is on a major migration route of wild birds which scientists say might spread the deadly virus.

"As a major place where migratory birds pass, Zhejiang should take measures, including poultry vaccination and monitoring, to prevent the outbreak of the disease and human infection of the virus," she added.

The participants called on all provinces to pay close attention to the disease. They noted that although the virus is hard for humans to catch and most deaths have been linked to handling infected poultry, the virus could mutate and spark a human flu pandemic that could claim millions of lives and cost hundreds of billions of dollars in economic loss.

Ni urged relevant departments to intensify the monitoring of outbreaks, cull infected flocks, quarantine affected areas and strengthen international exchanges and cooperation.

China has reported to the World Health Organization three pneumonia cases of unknown cause in central China's Hunan Province, where an H5N1 bird flu epidemic broke out recently. People who had close contacts with the three ill persons have been put under medical observation.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2005)