China's national wildlife epidemic surveillance and control
system is taking shape, according to a senior forestry
official.
The system made up of 150 state-level and 400 province-level
monitoring stations has played an important role in the prevention
and control of bird flu, said Zhao Xuemin, deputy director of the
State Forestry Administration.
This is only the first phase of the national system for epidemic
surveillance and control of terricolous wildlife, especially
migratory birds, according to a state plan, said Zhao at a wetland
protection meeting held in Jiangxi Province, east China.
Under the plan, at least 300 state-level monitoring stations
will be built, together with more local stations.
Migratory birds are claimed as one of the contributory factors
to bird flu.
Last year, some 30 outbreaks of bird flu were reported in 11
provinces and autonomous regions across China, including one among
migratory birds in northwestern Qinghai Province.
(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2006)
