Local markets for live fowls and processed fowl products have
been suspended of trading since a new case of human infection of
the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu virus was found in Jian'ou, a
city in east China's Fujian Province, late last month.
Local health authorities early on Thursday informed the public
of the confirmation of the case.
In an interview with Xinhua on Thursday, an official from
Jian'ou, a county-level city under jurisdiction of Nanping City,
admitted that a five-level reporting network, from the levels of
the village through to the province, had been put into operation
around the clock.
"With the network in place, which is led by Vice Governor Zhang
Changping and more leaders of governments at lower levels,
information of any new infections can be reported in time so that
actions can be taken accordingly to prevent a possible outbreak,"
said the official, who asked not to be identified.
Information from the provincial health bureau said that a
44-year-old farmer surnamed Li in Jian'ou city in the province was
infected with bird flu virus lethal strain H5N1.
Li developed symptoms including fever and pneumonia on Feb.
18.
Later lab work by the provincial disease control and prevention
center showed that the patient has been infected with bird flu
virus strain H5N1 and the test result was confirmed by the Chinese
Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Feb. 27.
On the same day, senior officials of the province held a special
meeting to adopt measures to prevent a possible outbreak of the
disease.
At the meeting, Vice Governor Zhang Changping, who is appointed
as commander-in-chief of Fujian Provincial Headquarters for
Prevention and Control of Major Animal and Plant Diseases, ordered
compulsory inoculation on all fowls, and required local authorities
to set up inoculation files and issue certificates to inoculated
animals.
Zhang told the health, stock-raising and forestry authorities at
all levels to be on high alert and closely monitor the
situation.
Zhang also asked local workers to quarantine and check animals
at every stage -- farms, slaughter houses and the market. Those who
failed should be punished accordingly, said Zhang.
Li, the patient who was confirmed to have made contact with dead
fowls, has been receiving treatment at the local hospital. She is
said to be in critical condition.
Local health authorities said they are closely monitoring those
who had had close contact with Li. So far, they showed no symptoms
of the highly pathogenic avian disease.
Li is the country's first human case of bird flu in about seven
weeks since China reported on Jan. 10 that a 37-year-old farmer in
east China's Anhui Province had contracted bird flu but had
recovered.
The virus has killed 14 people in China since 2003.
According to Fujian health authorities, China's Health Ministry
has conveyed the information to the World Health Organization, and
health agencies of the regions of Hong Kong and Macao and Taiwan
Province, and some other countries.
(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2007)