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H5N1 detected in NW China's dead fowl

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-11 00:21

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Agriculture announced Tuesday that dead fowl found in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were confirmed as H5N1 positive in tests by the national laboratory.

Chickens are displayed at an outdoor market in the city of Kaili, southwest China's Guizhou province in January 2009. China's Ministry of Agriculture announced Tuesday that dead fowl found in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were confirmed as H5N1 positive in tests by the national laboratory. [Agencies]

Related readings:  No mutation for human-human bird flu infection  Official explains human bird flu cases  Bird flu patient discharged from hospital  Leading expert issues new bird flu warning

The ministry said 519 fowl died of bird flu in Hetian, a southern prefecture famous for quality jade.

The ministry and the regional government had taken emergency measures to deal with the epidemic, killing altogether 13,218 fowl.

The epidemic had been brought under control, said the ministry.

Despite the fact that eight people were found to have contracted H5N1 this year and five had died, scientists had found little mutation in the virus strains separated from those patients, and no mutation that would allow human to human transmission, Mao Qun'an, spokesman of the Ministry of Health, said Tuesday.

Mao urged health departments and hospitals to be vigilant, since most human infection cases occurred in the first quarter of the year.

He said early diagnosis and treatment could increase the survival rate for H5N1 patients.