September 17, 2007

Authorities suspect bird flu among ducks in China's Guangzhou 

China's agriculture ministry said Saturday (Sep 15) it had discovered a suspected outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus among ducks at a village outside the southern city of Guangzhou.

The ministry said in a statement that it had sent samples to a national laboratory for testing after 9,830 ducks died in the district of Panyu over the past two weeks.

If confirmed it would be the first reported outbreak of bird flu in China for the last 120 days.

Bird flu has so far infected at least 25 people in China, including 16 who later died.

China conducted a huge campaign last year to contain the disease, culling  thousands of poultry.