December 7, 2005

China lifts bird flu quarantine in Anhui, Xinjiang

Chinese authorities have lifted the bird flu quarantine on Huai Nan city in the eastern Anhui province and Ze Pu county in the north-western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The H5N1 strain of bird flu had hit both areas in early November.

The government said no new bird flu cases have been reported in the affected areas for the past 21 days, the longest incubation period for the H5N1 virus.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has ordered local authorities to step up surveillance in order to prevent new cases of bird flu.