China Suspects Bird Flu Caused By Migratory Water Fowl
SHANGHAI (AP)--Authorities believe a new outbreak of bird flu on a lakeside chicken farm in southeastern China may have originated among migratory water fowl, state media said Wednesday.
The cases in Anhui province, China's first outbreak reported in nearly four months, involve the same severe bird flu strain that earlier this year ravaged Asia's poultry industry and jumped to people in Vietnam and Thailand, killing 24. About 100 million chickens across the region were slaughtered to halt its spread.
The two Southeast Asian countries also have confirmed a re-emergence of the disease in recent days, with Thailand Wednesday declaring two "red zones" around affected farms where authorities are culling thousands of chickens.
China's Agriculture Ministry said the farm in Anhui was quarantined following confirmation of the flu Tuesday. All poultry within three kilometers (two miles) of the affected farm have been slaughtered and birds within five kilometers (three miles) vaccinated, the reports said.
"The local government has made necessary measures of slaughter or quarantine to prevent a spread and sent samples to the authorities. It has also isolated the area," the official Xinhua News Agency said. Reports said authorities were first informed of bird deaths on the farm on Saturday.
China's territory Hong Kong, a big consumer of chickens from the mainland, has suspended poultry imports from Anhui.
Xinhua said the Anhui outbreak was discovered on a lakeside farm near the city of Chaohu. Because chicks were bought from a local market where no flu has been reported, officials suspect migratory birds visiting the lake might have been the carriers, it said.
Photos on Xinhua's Web site showed officials setting up a tent as part of a disinfecting station for vehicles passing in and out of the area.
An official with the Agriculture Ministry's livestock and poultry division said the outbreak had been contained, but gave no details.
"All necessary measures have been taken," said the man, who wouldn't give his name.
Epidemic department officials in Anhui refused to answer questions.
A spokesman for the World Health Organization in Beijing said a new outbreak had been expected and said migratory birds could likely by the carriers.
"Migratory birds are a pretty common reservoir of avian flu, although it would be hard to confirm the link," Roy Wadia said.
He said Chinese authorities appear to have taken prompt measures to contain the outbreak.
"They're doing all that they're supposed to do. They have a lot of experience with this," Wadia said.
中国怀疑新近爆发的禽流感源自迁徙水鸟
中国官方媒体周三报导，中国监管当局认为，最近在中国东南部地区某湖边鸡场再次爆发的禽流感可能是通过迁徙的水鸟传播的。
这次在安徽省爆发的禽流感是中国近4个月来首次爆发的禽流感疫情。其病毒类型与年初在亚洲爆发的禽流感病毒类型一致。年初肆虐亚洲的禽流感给当地养鸡业造成巨大损失，并且在越南和泰国对人类造成感染，并导致24人死亡。为了遏制传播，该地区共约有1亿只鸡遭到宰杀。
最近几天，越南和泰国也同时确认了禽流感的卷土重来。泰国周三宣布在被感染的农场周围设立了2个“红色区域”，这些养鸡场的数千只鸡已经遭到宰杀。
该报导称，中国农业部(Agriculture Ministry)表示，这家位于安徽的养鸡场在周二被确认发生禽流感疫情后已经被封锁。该鸡场周围3公里（约2英里）地区内的所有家禽已经被宰杀，周围5公里（约3英里）之内的禽类也都进行了强制免疫。
中国官方的新华社(Xinhua News Agency)报导称，当地政府已经采取了必要措施进行宰杀或隔离，以阻止禽流感的进一步传播，并将病料送交给有关部门；同时还对该地区进行了封锁。报导称，有关部门是在上周六第一次得知鸡场内发生鸡只死亡消息的。
中国香港地区已经暂停从安徽进口禽类产品。香港是中国内地禽类产品的重要市场。
新华社报导称，安徽的这次禽流感疫情最初是在巢湖市湖边的一个养鸡场内被发现的。报导称，由于鸡雏都是在当地市场内购买的，而当地并未发生过禽流感，因此有关官员怀疑，到访该湖的候鸟有可能是病毒的携带者。
新华社网站上的照片显示，有关官员正在为消毒站搭建帐篷，以便对来往的车辆进行消毒。
中国农业部畜牧兽医局的一名官员表示，这次禽流感疫情目前已经得到控制，但没有提供详细情况。
这名不愿透露姓名的官员称，已经采取了一切必要的措施。
安徽有关防疫部门的官员则拒绝回答问题。
世界卫生组织(World Health Organization)驻北京的发言人Roy Wadia表示，禽流感的再次爆发是意料之中的事情，而候鸟很可能是病毒的携带者。
Wadia称，候鸟是禽流感病毒常见的携带者，虽然要确认两者之间的关联是很困难的。
他表示，中国政府为控制病毒扩散采取了果断的措施。
他说，中国政府做了一切应该做的事情，他们在这方面经验丰富。
