# 2553
In late November ProMed Mail carried the following announcement, indicating that a major outbreak of bird flu had occurred in Jiangsu Province (Hat Tip Niman on Flutrackers).
The November 25th report indicated that the outbreak had been going on for `weeks', and that poultry deaths were `relatively serious'.
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Tue 25 Nov 2008
Source: efeedlink.com.cn [in Chinese, trans. & summ. Rappt.DS, edited]
<http://www.efeedlink.com.cn/publishAdmin/cpsview/f1d54d27-55dd-47ff-b54f-4efe295a2e0c.html>Sources say that over the last few weeks, there has been an outbreak of possible avian influenza near Jiangsu's Haian and Dongtai [counties]. Local chicken deaths are relatively serious. Egg production has dropped sharply due to the outbreak.
But because [the outbreak] has not yet been confirmed by authorities, it is still uncertain whether it is actually avian influenza. Area demand for poultry feed has dropped under the impact of chicken deaths and declining egg production.
Based on this correspondent's survey, similar outbreaks have not occurred in Jiangsu's neighboring areas other than the above 2 places. It is hoped that poultry farmers will quickly take precautionary measures.
Today, we are finally getting what appears to be confirmation of this report, with the news that more than 300,000 birds have been culled in Jiangsu Province.
The Agriculture Ministry is claiming they were only notified yesterday of the outbreak (they must not subscribe to ProMed Mail).
Meanwhile, there are a number of news stories appearing in the Chinese press suggesting that a major cover up of the outbreak may have occurred (more on that later today).
This `official' report comes from Xinhua News.
China culls poultry after finding killer bird flu virus
2008-12-16 20:14:34
BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- A total of 377,000 birds have been killed after bird flu virus was found in east China's Jiangsu Province, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday.
The deadly H5N1 strain of the virus was discovered in Dongtai City and its neighboring Hai'an county in Jiangsu, the ministry said in a statement posted on its website.
No outbreak of the bird flu was reported in the two areas and their nearby regions, the ministry said.
The ministry said it received reports about H5N1 infection among hens in Dongtai city and Hai'an county on Monday .
Preliminary analysis by the experts with the ministry indicated the virus could have been spread by the birds migrating through the area, and that the virus was a different strand from those usually found in the southern part of the country.
A laboratory with the ministry is currently testing the samples to see if the virus has mutated. The China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center has also dispatched a team of experts to study of origin of the virus.
Local authorities have stopped transport of all poultry and poultry products from the two areas, and were sterilizing the poultry farms in the areas and their nearby regions to prevent the virus from spreading.
The agriculture ministry has reported the case to the World Organization for Animal Health.
The case occurred only a week after 80,000 chickens were culled in Hong Kong after local health departments confirmed that samples tested positive for the H5 strand of bird flu.
Related Post:
Widget by [ Iptek-4u ]