March 17, 2008

China's Guangdong confirms bird flu outbreak 

China's Guangdong province has reported an outbreak of bird flu, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said Sunday.

The National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory disclosed the case Thursday and reported that it occurred at a market in Liwan District of Guangzhou City on Thursday.

This recent case is China's fifth bird flu outbreak this year. Others included one in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, two in the southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region and one in the southwestern Guizhou Province.

Li Jinxiang, director of the MOA's veterinary department, said the unprecedented snowstorm and cold snap that hit the country earlier this year has triggered the outbreaks of bird flu.

Li explained that the bird flu virus was active in the cold weather.

The official added that the blizzards facilitated in the spread of virus after damaging the living conditions of livestock and affecting the regular immunization work.