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Vaccines, monitoring keep lid on avian flu
29/1/2007 9:32

An improved vaccination program and better monitoring have played major roles in keeping China free of bird flu outbreaks for 127 straight days, Minister of Agriculture Sun Zhengcai said yesterday in Beijing.

China administered 10.6 million avian flu vaccinations among its poultry stock in 2006, according to Sun.

Veterinary departments also intensified disease monitoring, testing 6.77 million samples for bird flu, the official said.

Monitoring was also stepped up in border areas to prevent the transfer of disease into China from neighboring countries and regions.

The government promoted the use of its first vaccine in 2004 when the deadly virus broke out.

Based on the success of that drug in containing the bird flu epidemic, scientists at the National Laboratory created three additional vaccines.

The National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory also developed three new bird flu vaccines last year.

China has engaged in international cooperation in the prevention of bird flu, promoted the establishment of a global mechanism to combat bird flu and shared information and influenza virus resources with other countries, Sun said.

The official said China has provided technological and material assistance to neighboring countries, including Vietnam, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Mongolia.

Sun warned that the possibility of an outbreak of bird flu still existed in China.

Sun said winter and spring were peak times for the disease, and six countries and regions around China reported outbreaks recently.

Sun called on participating departments to enhance vaccinations and monitoring.

China reported 10 outbreaks of bird flu last year, 68 percent fewer than the year before.

About 47,000 birds died in the outbreaks in seven provinces on the Chinese mainland, and another 2.94 million fowl were killed in precautionary slaughters, according to figures published by the Ministry of Agriculture last November.

The virus has infected 22 humans in China since 2003, leaving 14 dead.

The latest human case was a 37-year-old farmer in east China's Anhui Province, who recovered before his case was reported on January 10. There was no link between his illness and any reported bird flu outbreak, however.

Fifty-four countries and regions in Asia, Europe and Africa reported outbreaks of bird flu last year.


Xinhua