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November 15, 2005
Bird Flu in Xinjiang
News reached me today via a Hong Kong newspaper that H5N1, also know as bird flu, has finally made its way here to Xinjiang. I'm glad, too, because I was thinking that - like most things that visits China - bird flu might have decided that Xinjiang just wasn't worth the time and effort. Thanks, bird flu!
According to the article, the affected areas are around Urumqi and Kashgar. Assuming that the outbreaks in both cities are in some way related, I'm taking the non-medically educated guess that a few chickens in Korla are probably carriers as well. (Korla lies halfway between Urumqi and Kashgar on the major highway.) Only time will tell. Luckily, Xinjiang officials are already hard at work figuring out who's to blame:
In light of the current epidemic situation, the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional People's Government has identified some mistakes. It is now determining who shall be responsible for the incident.You can read the full article below.
Bird flu outbreak suspected in China's Xinjiang
by Hu Yang
Ta Kung Pao (HK)
14 November 2005
[Urumqi, 13 November] Epidemic outbreaks of suspected bird flu have occurred in Urumqi county, Urumqi city and in Zepu county, Kashgar prefecture. The authorities in Xinjiang have begun the work of epidemic prevention and treatment. Experts from the Ministry of Agriculture arrived at Urumqi on 12 November. They have begun inspecting the epidemic situation in Urumqi. On the same day, they already sent the collected samples to Beijing for testing and confirmation. Is it a case of highly pathogenic avian flu The result of the test will be known soon.
As of this afternoon, more than 200,000 fowl within a 5 km radius of the affected areas have been slaughtered. Police and militia personnel are performing their duties on the roads leading to the epidemic areas. They are disinfecting all passing vehicles.
The epidemic was discovered during a general inspection. On the afternoon of 11 November, personnel from the animal husbandry department in Xinjiang carried out a general inspection in Anningqu township, Urumqi county - a suburban area in Urumqi city. It was discovered that among 5,200 chickens raised by Zheng Ming - a poultry raiser in Beidalu village, Anningqu township - 1,400 died unexpectedly. Zheng Ming purchased the chicks from Tiankang company in Xinjiang on 22 September and 13 October respectively. The poultry were inoculated according to the immunization procedures on 28 September and 19 October respectively. On 8 November, Zheng Ming inoculated another batch of 2,300 50-day old chickens that he purchased on 22 September. On 11 November, he discovered that 1,400 chickens in the two roadside chicken coops were dead.
Veterinaries from Urumqi city and Urumqi county rushed to the site. The initial diagnosis was suspected bird flu. Personnel from the agriculture and animal husbandry bureau, the public health bureau, and the disease prevention and control centre in Urumqi city immediately went there to carry out the work of prevention and treatment as well as immunization.
Urumqi city later sent out militia and police personnel to carry out inspections on the roads leading to the epidemic areas. All passing vehicles should be disinfected.
Vice-Chairman Qian Zhi of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional People's Government and Secretary Yang Gang of Urumqi city also went there to direct the work. The animal husbandry department of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional People's Government set up a command centre for the prevention and treatment of the major animal epidemic situation. Experts from the Ministry of Agriculture will go to Xinjiang to provide guidance on immunization.
Urumqi county - a place where the epidemic situation has occurred - is located in an area between Urumqi city and Changji prefecture. People in this area usually raise domestic fowl in a scattered form. The number of poultry raised by each household there varies from several thousands to tens of thousands. About 70 per cent of chicks come from chicken farms in Changji prefecture.
Relevant departments said that an inspection will be carried out on domestic fowl and pigeons raised in a scattered form. Compulsory immunization is required for each and every household.
The government will conduct an investigation into the quality of the vaccine. The government said that it will conduct an investigation into the source and the quality of vaccine doses. Efforts should be made to consolidate the supply of vaccine doses. All departments should immediately stop purchasing vaccine doses through illegal channels.
This reporter also has learned that a large number of poultry died in Zepu county, Kashgar prefecture. Local veterinaries determined that it was a suspected case of bird flu. Experts from the Ministry of Agriculture went to Zepu county today to provide guidance in prevention and treatment as well as to collect samples.
In light of the current epidemic situation, the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional People's Government has identified some mistakes. It is now determining who shall be responsible for the incident.
A local animal husbandry expert said that eight countries neighbouring Xinjiang are suffering from a severe case of bird flu. In addition, bird flu also has occurred in Inner Mongolia, Qinghai and Gansu. Under this situation, it is a tough job for Xinjiang to deal with the epidemic situation.
Source: Ta Kung Pao website, Hong Kong, in Chinese. 14 November 2005.
posted November 15, 2005 at 03:46 PM unofficial Xinjiang time | HaoHao This!
Comments
don't worry about it - you're a bloke.
Posted by: Daniel at November 16, 2005 03:06 AM
An update today from Xinhua News Agency:
Urumqi, 15 November: After the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Kuiyibage town in Xinjiang's Zepu county, Xinjiang has promptly adopted emergency measures to contain the spread of the epidemic.
Party committees and people's government of the autonomous region swiftly dispatched working groups to the epidemic area. The Ministry of Agriculture also sent experts to the area to direct prevention and control of the epidemic. At present, a total of 107,000 domestic fowls in the area have been slaughtered, the epidemic is under control, and people's production and life have returned to normal.
After suspected cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza were found in Kuiyibage town, Zepu county, the county immediately activated its emergency response plan and issued government orders to quarantine, isolate, and disinfect the epidemic area. Meanwhile, unvaccinated domestic fowls within a 3 km radius of where the outbreak occurred were slaughtered.
From 1600 [ 0800 gmt] on 12 November to the early morning of 14 November, a total of 107,000 domestic fowl, such as chickens, ducks, geese and pigeons, in the county were slaughtered. Compulsory vaccinations were carried out for domestic fowl within a 5 km radius of the epidemic area; all live poultry markets within a 10 km radius of the epidemic area were closed.
This reporter has learned that the large-scale culling of domestic fowl has ended, but the work of disinfection, isolation, burying and poultry excrement cleaning are not finished yet. Staff members have set up an inspection network to check all domestic fowl within a 3 km radius of the epidemic area.
On the way to Kuiyibage town in Zepu county, the reporter saw many vehicles waiting in line for inspection, registration and disinfection. It has been learned that after the outbreak of the epidemic, the county promptly set up five quarantine stations at intersections leading in and out of Kuiyibage town, carrying out strict inspections of all vehicles. Live poultry and relevant products are prohibited from being transported into and out of the area, and all vehicles entering and leaving the area must register at the stations and be disinfected.
In addition, since the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Zepu county and Urumqi county, the party committees and government of the autonomous region have adopted proactive measures to contain the spread of the epidemic. A total of 322,500 domestic fowl in the region have been slaughtered. The epidemic is basically under control, and people's production and life have returned to normal.
Qian Zhi, vice chairman of the autonomous region, said that because the epidemic situation in Xinjiang's neighbouring countries is complex and Xinjiang faces the risk of migratory birds spreading viruses in the region, all localities must strengthen monitoring of the epidemic situation, closely follow and control any development of the epidemic in a timely way, establish alert and forecast systems for the epidemic, perfect the response mechanism and planning for the epidemic, and strengthen supervision of the live poultry and bird markets. Livestock veterinarians must enhance communication with the relevant health departments and coordinate with each other, so as to prevent the transmission of avian influenza to humans.
Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing
Posted by: manning at November 17, 2005 01:46 PM
A small outbreak of H5N1 was reported today in Hotan! It's spreading...
Posted by: manning at November 18, 2005 03:32 PM