Inner Mongolia reports new bird flu cases
26/11/2005 9:59
China's Ministry of Agriculture yesterday confirmed a new outbreak of bird
flu in Zalantun in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous
Region.
Authorities became suspicious last Sunday when they received reports
that 246 foul had died. Laboratory tests later confirmed the deaths were caused
by the H5N1 strain of the virus.
Veterinary experts slaughtered 16,567 birds
within 3 kilometers of the trouble spot.
Meanwhile, a school teacher who fell
ill some 40 kilometers from a bird flu infected area in central China's Hunan
province was discharged from the hospital Wednesday, local sources said
yesterday.
The 36-year-old teacher, surnamed Song, lived in the same county
where a 9-year-old boy was confirmed as one of China's first human cases of bird
flu. The boy's 12-year-old sister died of a pneumonia-like illness and is
considered a suspected case.
Two other residents of China also were confirmed
as bird flu victims, both of whom died.
Song fell ill after handling raw
chicken, according to the hospital where he was treated. A joint team of experts
from the World Health Organization and the Chinese Ministry of Health conducted
a field investigation in the Central Xiangtan Hospital, where Song was being
treated last week.
All of his blood tests were negative for H5N1.
In a
related development, China's Ministry of Health yesterday refuted an Internet
rumor spread by a Japanese virologist that China has experienced several hundred
human deaths from bird flu.
"The rumor is absolutely groundless," said
ministry spokesman Mao Qun'an.
"The MOH has confirmation from the World
Health Organization's Beijing office that there was no Japanese expert on WHO's
mission in Hunan Province early this month," said
Mao.
Xinhua News
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