February 17, 2004

China Bird Flu Spreads To Remote Tibet

China has confirmed a suspected case of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, by the National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory, the Ministry of Agriculture announced Monday.

The laboratory also confirmed six other cases in Macheng, Songzi and Honghu cities, Gong'an and Yangxin counties, in central China's Hubei Province, and Shaoguan city in south China's Guangdong Province.

The ministry also received the report of a suspected bird flu case in Baicheng city, northeast China's Jilin Province.

The local governments have culled poultry in the affected areas and taken prompt quarantine measures, and the epidemic is under control there, according to the ministry.