China reports new outbreaks of bird flu

BEIJING (Reuters) – China reported on Sunday two new
outbreaks of bird flu in which almost 3,700 poultry died and
more than 7,000 were culled as provinces hit by the deadly
virus tightened preventive measures.

About 3,500 geese died at a family farm in a development
zone in Shishou city in the central province of Hubei, the
official Xinhua news agency said, adding that 3,800 poultry
were slaughtered within a radius of 3 km (2 miles).

In the northern region of Inner Mongolia, 176 domestic
poultry died and 3,202 poultry were culled, Xinhua said. It
gave no further details.

The agency quoted Health Minister Gao Qiang as saying China
has basically brought bird flu under control.

Beijing and four provinces have tightened preventive
measures, the Web site of the Ministry of Agriculture said.

China has been trying to contain about a dozen outbreaks of
the H5N1 strain among poultry in at least six provinces in the
past month. It announced last week plans to vaccinate billions
of birds.

A lethal strain of the H5N1 virus has killed 67 of the 130
people it has infected in Asia since late 2003 — mainly
Vietnam and Thailand.

But the real fear is that it will mutate and acquire the
ability to pass from human to human, causing a global pandemic.

Last week, Asian Pacific leaders vowed to bolster
co-operation to fight bird flu and stage a “desktop” simulation
drill in early 2006 to test regional responses and
communication in the event of a pandemic.

Beijing was roundly criticized for covering up SARS, or
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which started in southern
China in 2003, then spread to Hong Kong, the rest of Asia and
North America, killing hundreds of people.