November 24, 2004

 

 

China to Battle Bird Flu in Rural Areas

 

China will fight bird flu in rural areas this year, through the establishment of several monitoring centers in these regions, according to the Ministry of Health.

 

The new measure is being taken in addition to a national influenza-monitoring network that covers all the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the mainland.

 

The decision was made after outbreaks of bird flu earlier this year in some places of the country and in some neighbouring nations.

 

The rural centres will be used for flu strain detection and monitoring, as well as for specimen collection, testing and analysis, in a bid to enhance the country's capabilities to deal with the flu.

 

Bird flu, or avian influenza, was discovered in 16 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China earlier this year. Several other countries in Asia also reported the presence of the disease.

 

The disease led to the culling of tens of millions of chickens and other birds in Asia.

 

A leading US vaccine expert said that China should be extremely cautious and take effective measures to deal with a possible bird flu pandemic.

 

"If all goes wrong, the influenza disease of H5N1 avian virus that has spread extensively in south Asia could start a pandemic in China," said Dr David Ho, inventor of the AIDS "cocktail" treatment.

 

"The next pandemic is inevitable. In fact, it is overdue," said Ho, now the director of US Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre at Rockefeller University.

 

"China should plan for the epidemic that is coming," he added.

 

A detailed preparatory plan for major microbial threats is needed to provide abundant vaccines and professionals to treat disease, as well as to upgrade the alert systems and raise the transparency of hygiene systems in China.