May 24, 2005

Bird flu vaccines rushed into China

China has rushed more than three million doses of bird flu vaccine to a remote western province after migratory birds were found dead from the H5N1 strain which can be fatal to humans. Poultry across Qinghai province, neighbouring Tibet and Xinjiang will be the focus of the emergency vaccination scheme.

China has been on high alert against bird flu after outbreaks in North Korea and Southeast Asia, which prompted it to tighten quarantine controls at its borders. But Qinghai is far from either border and there was no immediate explanation as to how wild geese there became infected.

Veterinarian institutions across China have been told to contact forestry departments to gather information about migratory birds in their regions and take prevention and control measures. All regions have also been ordered to implement quarantine measures, prohibiting people from entering the habitats of migratory birds.