Nine ministries under China's State Council on Saturday
clarified the responsibilities concerning the prevention and
control of bird flu in a joint notice.
According to the notice, the industrial and commercial
departments must strengthen supervision of markets, close the
markets of live poultry and related products, and crack down on
illegal trade and production.
The commercial and quality quarantine departments must monitor
more closely the slaughtering, processing and cold-storage of
poultry, and prevent poultry from leaving bird flu-affected
areas.
The agricultural departments must improve their epidemic
monitoring and reporting networks in the non-affected areas, and
ensure the quality and safety of poultry products from those
places.
The industrial and commercial, public security and quarantine
departments must supervise the quality of bird flu-prevention
materials and other products that closely affect people's
lives.
The railways, communications and civil aviation departments must
tighten control over transportation nationwide, and ensure the
smooth passage of poultry products from non-affected areas.
The public security departments and armed police must help
related departments in the work of sealing and slaughtering in the
epidemic-hit areas, and ensure social order and security.
The related departments must guide the people to learn about and
prevent bird flu, and crack down on profiteers and
rumor-mongers.
(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2004)