January 27, 2006

Bird flu quarantine lifted in south-west China

In a bird flu-affected area in south-west China's Guizhou province, the local government announced the lifting of a three-week quarantine. Live fowl trading has resumed on Jan 27.

The Ministry of Agriculture approved the lifting of the quarantine in Wudang district in the provincial capital Guiyang, said the local government.

Wudang district was placed under quarantine after a bird flu outbreak was discovered among quails on Jan 6. The local government closed the live fowl market and culled all sick and suspected birds there. All local chicken farms were thoroughly sterilized.

There were no new reports of bird flu by Jan 27 and an expert panel of the provincial quarantine authorities checked and approved the quarantine work.