Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has urged concerned departments
to strengthen bird flu prevention in face of new cases reported in
other countries.
China has made some achievements in fighting against the
epidemic in the autumn and winter seasons, said Hui.
The Ministry of Health spokesman said last week that China has
not seen any new cases of animal or human bird flu infections since
the onset of winter.
However, the vice premier warned of possible outbreaks as new
cases have been reported recently in other countries and the peak
season for poultry trade will come with the arrival of the New Year
and the Spring Festival.
The Ministry of Agriculture has asked local veterinarian
departments to strengthen vaccination of poultry and conduct
stricter monitoring.
It will launch a nationwide inspection over animal-related
products in later December to ensure that they are free of bird flu
virus. About 47,000 poultry birds died in 10 outbreaks of bird flu
in seven provinces on the Chinese mainland this year, with another
2.94 million fowls culled, said the ministry in November.
The cases of human infection with bird flu numbered 13 this year,
six more than last year, according to the Ministry of Health.
(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2006)