Measures taken to prevent avian flu from infecting domestic birds, human beings
27/5/2005 17:02
The Chinese government has taken measures to prevent domestic birds and human
beings from being infected by avian flu virus carried by wild birds, China's
national chief veterinary officer said in Beijing Friday. At a press
conference of the Information Office of the State Council, Jia Youling, director
general of the Veterinary Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that the
affected Niannaisuma Village of Quanji Township of Gangca County, Qinghai
Province, has been sealed off right after death of some migratory birds was
found. He said there had been no precedent in the world to prevent and control
avian influenza among migratory birds, and China's measures are all aimed at
preventing the virus from spreading to domestic animals and human beings. Up
to May 26, more than 1,000 migratory birds including bar- headed geese and great
black-headed gulls were killed by bird flu virus in northwest China's Qinghai
Province. No tourists and irrelevant persons had been allowed to get into the
habitats of migratory birds and the infected areas since the outbreak, he
said. Jia said that the Ministry of Agriculture has informed countries
concerned and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) about
the avian influenza case among migratory birds. In the meantime, the national
chief veterinary officer also notified the Director General of World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) about the case in the name of an
expert. "Although China is not a formal member of OIE, we still follow the
general rules of the organization about animal diseases. China has always been
actively taking part in the activities sponsored by FAO or jointly by FAO and
OIE on international veterinary issues," he said.
Xinhua news
|