# 1796
For the past several days newshounds on Flutrackers (and perhaps other forums as well) have been following rather cryptic reports out of Southern China suggesting that there were suspicious poultry die offs in Guangdong Province, which lies adjacent to Hong Kong.
Chinese to English translations, as you might guess, are often difficult to decipher. To give you an idea, here is just a snippet of a translated report (Hat tip to a very hardworking Treyfish on Flutrackers) from last night:
水鎮 a domesticated fowl wholesale market recently also erupted the suspicion birds and beasts flu epidemic situation, after some two people doubted eat food sickness chicken to have a fever, forced the authority when yesterday before dawn two groping throw oneself kill in the market 30 ten thousand live chickens, but disinfected not to still terminate the motion to last night.
In China, H5N1 is known as `The Birds and the Beasts Flu'.
This report appears to state that poultry deaths in a wholesale market in Foshan (near the provincial capital of Guangzhou) are suspected to have been caused by bird flu. Further, it seems to say that `30 ten thousand' (3000?) chickens were culled, and that the area is being disinfected.
Additionally, the story seems to suggest that two people may have eaten infected chickens and now have fevers. As I said, deciphering these translations isn't easy.
Nearly Seventy-two hours after the newshounds first detected rumblings of something happening in Guangdong province, we are now starting to get some confirmation.
First, a transcript from a radio program this morning out of Hong Kong, where Dr. York Chow, Secretary for Food and Health.
Hat tip Ironorehopper on Flutrackers for this link.
SFH on dead chickens (with photo)
*********************************Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a stand-up media session after attending radio programmes this morning (March 15):
Reporter: What is the latest situation on the mainland......
Secretary for Food and Health: As far as we know, we receive from the Ministry of Agriculture this morning that some of the chickens that are found dead were culled yesterday in Guangzhou, and are traced to the wholesale market in Foshan. And that is the reason why they need to cull some chickens in Foshan market and also do the thorough clean-up at the Foshan market.
At the moment, we do not know whether this is a H5 infection that has resulted in the death of chickens. The samples have been sent to National Laboratory to ascertain that whether this is H5 virus.
As soon as the results come back, I will be able to inform the public. At the same time, we will start our preventive measures to control the import of chickens within the 13-kilometre radius from the outbreak area.
And then there's this, a report from The International Herald Tribune.
Hong Kong reports 1 new flu outbreak as worry shifts to mainland bird flu fears
The Associated Press
Published: March 15, 2008
HONG KONG: The spread of flu in Hong Kong appeared to be slowing with only one new outbreak reported, but attention Saturday shifted to fears of bird flu after dead chickens were found in southeast China.
<snip>
Chinese officials found dead chickens at markets in Guanzhou, southern China, Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health York Chow told reporters Saturday.
It wasn't immediately clear if the chickens had bird flu nor how many had died, Chow said. Guangzho borders Hong Kong.
Nevertheless, all birds at the wholesale market that had distributed the birds to the markets where they were found were killed as a precaution, he said.
A Guangzhou Daily newspaper report posted on the Guangzhou government's Web site Saturday said 114 chicken were found dead at a local market.
A woman who answered the phone at Guangzhou's health department said no one was available for comment.
Reporting and surveillance out of mainland china has never inspired much confidence among flu watchers. The low level of bird flu activity that actually gets reported probably doesn't reflect the reality of the situation.
Whatever this outbreak is determined to be, Kudos to the newshounds for picking up on it on Wednesday night.
Related Post:
Widget by [ Iptek-4u ]