September 15, 2004

OIE Says Bird Flu Unlikely To Spread Among Pigs In China
 

A swift spread of bird flu amongst pigs in China now looks unlikely, claimed the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the world animal health organisation.

It has unveiled Chinese government tests on 4,447 tests on pigs between April and August from ten provinces, including Fujian where a pig was found with the duck-derived H5N1 strain.

"No (further) infection has been detected in pigs", said the OIE. "The above findings do not indicate any major evolution regarding H5N1 infection in pigs at this stage".

This good news has been countered by a World Health Organisation announcement that the disease has jumped species again, to domestic cats, in Thailand.