October 31, 2005

China's Yunnan prepares against bird flu
 

China's Yunnan province would prepare itself against bird flu by designating seven hospitals and two labs to monitor possible outbreaks locally, the government said.

Monitoring would be focussed mainly on people who have raised, sold, slaughtered, processed or gave medical treatment to sick or dead poultry. Those who handled sick or dead poultry without proper protective measures, or living in an environment polluted by poultry excrement would also be monitored.

Authorities would also keep a watchful eye on people who have come into contact with patients suspected or confirmed to be infected by bird flu.

The provincial disease prevention and control center would then collect surveillance results daily.

Meanwhile, the seven hospitals would provide treatment for people living within a radius of three kilometres from the epidemic center, in the event of an outbreak.

Both labs for monitoring bird flu would be set up within two disease prevention and control centers in the region. The two facilities would serve to identify the virus promptly if a local outbreak occurred.

China had already established 192 flu-monitoring stations nationwide, according to the government.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong had distributed leaflets on bird flu in several areas as part of a public awareness programme.

Local authorities said a major emergency exercise would be conducted at the end of November to prepare Hong Kong for a potential bird flu pandemic.