January 27, 2014
Bird flu epidemic continues to affect China's live poultry sales
At the height of the Lunar New Year peak sales period, live poultry traders in Hangzhou and Shanghai in China have had to suspend business, due to the resurgent of the bird flu epidemic.
In order to contain the H7N9 bird flu infection, Hangzhou, the capital city of east China's Zhejiang province, announced on January 23 that live poultry trading in its main urban areas would be suspended this month. As of January 2014, Zhejiang has reported 37 cases of human H7N9 infection, the most among all regions nationwide. It was also the site of the country's first confirmed human-to-human transmission last November.
In a circular, city authorities ordered live poultry markets in six districts to be disinfected and launched widespread monitoring of domestic fowl and birds in poultry farms, migratory bird habitats and parks. Before its closure, live poultry trade in the Gouzhuang market totalled over 100,000 birds per day, with more than 70,000 chickens and 30,000 ducks, pigeons and geese sold daily.
The period leading to the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, is traditionally the annual peak season for live poultry sales. However, Hangzhou's two largest live poultry markets of Gouzhuang and Dajiang, had to close since January 22. According to statistics released by the Zhejiang provincial poultry industry association, it is estimated that the ban will affect sales of about 10 million live poultry in the province.
On January 23, five new human H7N9 cases were reported in Zhejiang, which has seen new H7N9 cases for the past 15 consecutive days. Over this period, the live poultry industry has experienced a 70% drop in sales with prices falling over 50%, according to a survey on poultry businesses conducted by the association.
As of January 22, a total of 211 H7N9 cases have been reported in China.
The neighbouring city of Shanghai will also suspend live poultry trading from the Spring Festival to April 30 each year starting in 2014. The city reported two more deaths from the H7N9 bird flu, raising the toll from the deadly virus to four so far this year, the Shanghai mayor said without giving further details.
Meanwhile, Xiamen Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said that H7N9 bird flu virus had been detected in two samples taken from Xiamen poultry markets. The infected samples which have been tested positive for the H7N9 bird flu virus were among 40 collected from major farmers' markets and poultry markets across the city. Xiamen health authorities disinfected the poultry markets. As of now, no cases of human infection of H7N9 bird flu have been discovered in the city.
Human infections of H7N9 have also been reported in Fujian's Quanzhou and Ningde. The city has now taken various measures to prevent a potential outbreak of H7N9 bird flu. Experts have warned the public to stay on alert for the H7N9 bird flu virus and take the necessary precautions.
