=
<B><font size=+1 color=red><center>China confirms new case of bird flu </font>
The Associated Press, Reuters
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2006
<A href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/04/news/flu.php">Herald Tribune</a></center>
BEIJING China confirmed a new outbreak of bird flu in the southwestern province of Sichuan on Wednesday, but the Agriculture Ministry said the situation there was under control.</b>
More than 1,800 birds were found dead Dec. 22 at a farm in Dazhu County in Sichuan, a statement on the Agriculture Ministry Web site said.
On Tuesday, samples tested at a laboratory confirmed that the birds had died from the H5N1 virus, which has killed millions of birds and at least 71 people in Asia since late 2003, according to the statement. More than 12,900 birds at the farm in the town of Yang Jia have been killed to halt the spread of the virus, the statement said.
The Agriculture Ministry said it has sent two officials to the site to investigate bird flu prevention and control efforts. It did not give any details.
In Hong Kong, the government said it immediately suspended all imports of poultry and poultry meat from Sichuan after mainland authorities notified it of the outbreak.
China has reported 26 outbreaks in chickens, ducks and other poultry in areas throughout the country since Oct. 19. The authorities have destroyed millions of birds to contain outbreaks and are in the midst of a campaign to inoculate all of China's 5.2 billion poultry.
The ministry statement did not refer to any confirmed or possible human infections. China has reported seven cases of bird flu in humans, three of which have been fatal.
Most human infections have been the result of contact with sick birds, but scientists fear that the virus could mutate into a form that passes easily among humans, sparking a human flu pandemic.
Health officials in China are especially concerned about the risk of transmission during the Lunar New Year holiday in late January, when large shipments of poultry are moved around the country to supply family banquets.
"In wintertime, we really are concerned because the risk is higher," said Noureddin Mona, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization representative in China.
"The more the environment is ideal for the virus, the more outbreaks we are expecting."
BEIJING China confirmed a new outbreak of bird flu in the southwestern province of Sichuan on Wednesday, but the Agriculture Ministry said the situation there was under control.
More than 1,800 birds were found dead Dec. 22 at a farm in Dazhu County in Sichuan, a statement on the Agriculture Ministry Web site said.
On Tuesday, samples tested at a laboratory confirmed that the birds had died from the H5N1 virus, which has killed millions of birds and at least 71 people in Asia since late 2003, according to the statement. More than 12,900 birds at the farm in the town of Yang Jia have been killed to halt the spread of the virus, the statement said.
The Agriculture Ministry said it has sent two officials to the site to investigate bird flu prevention and control efforts. It did not give any details.
In Hong Kong, the government said it immediately suspended all imports of poultry and poultry meat from Sichuan after mainland authorities notified it of the outbreak.
China has reported 26 outbreaks in chickens, ducks and other poultry in areas throughout the country since Oct. 19. The authorities have destroyed millions of birds to contain outbreaks and are in the midst of a campaign to inoculate all of China's 5.2 billion poultry.
The ministry statement did not refer to any confirmed or possible human infections. China has reported seven cases of bird flu in humans, three of which have been fatal.
Most human infections have been the result of contact with sick birds, but scientists fear that the virus could mutate into a form that passes easily among humans, sparking a human flu pandemic.
Health officials in China are especially concerned about the risk of transmission during the Lunar New Year holiday in late January, when large shipments of poultry are moved around the country to supply family banquets.
"In wintertime, we really are concerned because the risk is higher," said Noureddin Mona, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization representative in China.
"The more the environment is ideal for the virus, the more outbreaks we are expecting."
BEIJING China confirmed a new outbreak of bird flu in the southwestern province of Sichuan on Wednesday, but the Agriculture Ministry said the situation there was under control.
More than 1,800 birds were found dead Dec. 22 at a farm in Dazhu County in Sichuan, a statement on the Agriculture Ministry Web site said.
On Tuesday, samples tested at a laboratory confirmed that the birds had died from the H5N1 virus, which has killed millions of birds and at least 71 people in Asia since late 2003, according to the statement. More than 12,900 birds at the farm in the town of Yang Jia have been killed to halt the spread of the virus, the statement said.
The Agriculture Ministry said it has sent two officials to the site to investigate bird flu prevention and control efforts. It did not give any details.
In Hong Kong, the government said it immediately suspended all imports of poultry and poultry meat from Sichuan after mainland authorities notified it of the outbreak.
China has reported 26 outbreaks in chickens, ducks and other poultry in areas throughout the country since Oct. 19. The authorities have destroyed millions of birds to contain outbreaks and are in the midst of a campaign to inoculate all of China's 5.2 billion poultry.
The ministry statement did not refer to any confirmed or possible human infections. China has reported seven cases of bird flu in humans, three of which have been fatal.
Most human infections have been the result of contact with sick birds, but scientists fear that the virus could mutate into a form that passes easily among humans, sparking a human flu pandemic.
Health officials in China are especially concerned about the risk of transmission during the Lunar New Year holiday in late January, when large shipments of poultry are moved around the country to supply family banquets.
"In wintertime, we really are concerned because the risk is higher," said Noureddin Mona, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization representative in China.
"The more the environment is ideal for the virus, the more outbreaks we are expecting."
BEIJING China confirmed a new outbreak of bird flu in the southwestern province of Sichuan on Wednesday, but the Agriculture Ministry said the situation there was under control.
More than 1,800 birds were found dead Dec. 22 at a farm in Dazhu County in Sichuan, a statement on the Agriculture Ministry Web site said.
On Tuesday, samples tested at a laboratory confirmed that the birds had died from the H5N1 virus, which has killed millions of birds and at least 71 people in Asia since late 2003, according to the statement. More than 12,900 birds at the farm in the town of Yang Jia have been killed to halt the spread of the virus, the statement said.
The Agriculture Ministry said it has sent two officials to the site to investigate bird flu prevention and control efforts. It did not give any details.
In Hong Kong, the government said it immediately suspended all imports of poultry and poultry meat from Sichuan after mainland authorities notified it of the outbreak.
China has reported 26 outbreaks in chickens, ducks and other poultry in areas throughout the country since Oct. 19. The authorities have destroyed millions of birds to contain outbreaks and are in the midst of a campaign to inoculate all of China's 5.2 billion poultry.
The ministry statement did not refer to any confirmed or possible human infections. China has reported seven cases of bird flu in humans, three of which have been fatal.
Most human infections have been the result of contact with sick birds, but scientists fear that the virus could mutate into a form that passes easily among humans, sparking a human flu pandemic.
Health officials in China are especially concerned about the risk of transmission during the Lunar New Year holiday in late January, when large shipments of poultry are moved around the country to supply family banquets.
"In wintertime, we really are concerned because the risk is higher," said Noureddin Mona, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization representative in China.
"The more the environment is ideal for the virus, the more outbreaks we are expecting."
Sorry----- I couldn't make myself imagine what went into them!
doesn't cooking chicken kill the Avian Flu germ? Now I've gone all paranoid!