Nearly 1,000 ducks in this southern city have succumbed to what
appears to be a bird flu outbreak, according to information posted
on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Farmers in Sixian village, Xinzao Township, in the Panyu
district of Guangzhou, first reported that their ducks were dying
on September 5. By last Thursday, more than 9,830 ducks had been
reported dead, the website said.
Samples taken from the dead ducks were sent to the provincial
animal disease prevention and control center, and initial tests
revealed the presence of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus.
Samples have been also sent to the National Avian Influenza
Reference Laboratory for testing. The results have not yet been
released.
Local veterinary authorities had culled about 32,630 ducks as of
last Friday, it said.
Sources with the provincial department of agriculture said they
had sent staff to disinfect the affected area, and no further
deaths of fouls had been reported in the Panyu district or nearby
areas.
An official with Guangzhou's Panyu District government, who
identified himself only by the surname Zhong, told China
Daily that no traces of the outbreak had been detected outside
of Sixian village.
And the local government is setting aside funds to compensate
farmers for any ducks they had to cull, the official added
As the world's largest producer of poultry, livestock and
aquatic products, China has much to lose from outbreaks of animal
diseases. It is estimated that animal diseases cost the country 40
billion yuan (US$5.16 billion) annually.
Twenty-five human cases of bird flu have been reported in China
since 2003. Sixteen people have died of the disease.
The top legislature last month adopted an amendment to the law
on animal epidemic prevention that requires all animal owners to
comply with compulsory vaccination policies.
(China Daily September 17, 2007)