Guangzhou?partially suspended exports of live poultry and
products such as eggs to neighboring Hong Kong and Macao following
the recent outbreak of bird flu, local authorities said
yesterday.
The Ministry of Agriculture and the National Avian Influenza
Reference Laboratory confirmed on Monday that a subtype H5N1
bird-flu strain had killed 9,830 ducks raised in Sixian Village of
Panyu district in Guangzhou earlier this month.
The suspension, which is to last three weeks starting from last
Monday, applies to registered poultry farms and plants processing
poultry products located within a 24 km radius of the site of the
bird-flu outbreak, a spokesman for the Guangdong entry-exit
inspection and quarantine bureau said.
Local authorities have also suspended exports of all waterfowl
and related products to Hong Kong and Macao for a week, the
spokesman said.
Meanwhile, all registered live poultry farms in Guangdong that
supply the markets of Hong Kong and Macao have been ordered to make
daily reports about their situation, amid efforts to enhance
monitoring of bird flu, he said.
Guangzhou had culled 134,384 ducks, 18,786 chickens and 150
doves by Tuesday in nine villages within a 3-km radius of the site
of the bird-flu outbreak.
Sixty-eight poultry farmers in Panyu who had close contact with
ducks killed by bird flu have taken blood tests and medical
checkups, and were found to be in good condition.
The district government announced on Tuesday the suspension of
all poultry markets within a 13-km surveillance zone.
The last case of H5N1 bird flu reported in China occurred in May
in Central China's Hunan Province. It killed more than 11,000
poultry and led to another 52,800 birds being culled.
(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2007)