With poultry farms in three provinces infected by confirmed
avian flu, several other regions are waiting for a verdict on
suspected cases.
Although the most recent to be infected by the disastrous and
deadly epidemic, China has become the largest of the 10 Asian
economies hit by the disease since it was first reported in
December.
Memories of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome)
outbreak are still fresh. It led to hundreds of deaths barely one
year ago.
Government officials had little time to lay back during the
just-finished Spring Festival. The State Council, or cabinet, had
an emergency meeting on Thursday to map out policies to deal with
the avian flu.
In fact, efforts have been ongoing since early January to
control poultry imports, enforce food hygiene standards, and
monitor the domestic poultry trade.
The State Council's Thursday meeting highlighted the issues of
disease reporting and the policing of the poultry industry.
Arrangements were made to support local disease control
efforts.
Bird flu control has hit the headlines of every major national
and regional newspaper these past few days.
Society's awareness has reached an unprecedented level.
People of all walks of life are waiting for further reports from
the frontlines of the disease control campaign. They all share the
anxiety of bird farmers who are helplessly watching the dwindling
demand for their products and a painful loss of their revenues.
With greater eagerness, however, the public is expecting public
health authorities to find some clues to the cause of epidemic,
which is fairly new. Most people know very little about it, but
many fear the potential for a more widespread threat for human
beings.
Contingency funds to step up research and swap information with
health experts in other countries are a must.
Right now, too many aspects of the disease remain unclear, such
as how the virus travels from one place to another, even across
national borders where barely any trade takes place. Costly efforts
are required to unravel these mysteries.
Indeed, resources to combat a disease whose ultimate threat is
difficult to assess will be considerable. They are also needed to
provide long-term protection of the nation's still toddling
agricultural industry. China must build its health care service
into a powerful new industry.
(China Daily February 2, 2004)