December 23, 2005

China vaccinates 85 percent of poultry against bird flu

China has immunised about five billion domestic birds since October, pushing the poultry immunity density to over 85 percent, according to Veterinary Bureau of the Agriculture Ministry's deputy director Li Changyou on Dec 21.

In the last three months, 27 bird flu outbreaks have hit China, with three in October, 23 in November and only one in December, Li pointed out. He added that that this proves that bird flu is under control as vaccinations take place and that the immunity has played an important role.

China is also developing bird flu vaccines to curb outbreaks, with a new vaccine that can prevent both bird flu and Newcastle disease expected to be put in use shortly, he said.

Meanwhile, a 24-day quarantine ended on Dec 22 in Yongzhou, central China's Hunan province where a bird flu outbreak was reported November, the local government said.

The bird flu outbreak, the second one reported in the central province this year, hit the Laobutou village on Nov 18 and killed more than more than 390 chickens and 12 ducks. A state bird flu lab later confirmed the virus as of the H5N1 strain on Nov 28.

However, no new case has been reported in the district since Nov 30 after more than 108,000 fowls were killed and another 140,000 vaccinated in the area, said the provincial agricultural department's deputy director Ou Daiming.

Local farmers were compensated RMB10 yuan (US$1.20) for each bird killed, while about 500,000 millilitres of bird flu vaccine had also been shipped to the region for emergency vaccinations.

A joint inspection team consisting of vets and health prevention specialists concluded on Dec 21 after a two-day check-up that the bird flu outbreak had been eradicated and the quarantine could be lifted.