Bird flu case triggers poultry ban

Government authorities in Changsha, Hunan province, have banned poultry originating in regions that have logged human H7N9 cases from local markets, voc.com.cn reported on Wednesday.

The move came after a female resident, surnamed Liu, was found infected with the virus after she returned to Changsha from a visit outside the province during the Spring Festival holiday earlier this month.

The 29-year-old woman is now hospitalized in Changsha, but the source of her infection remains unknown, said Liu Ruchun, a disease prevention and control official in the city.

At present, no virus has been found in poultry in Changsha, but authorities will keep continue to monitor markets, according to Tan Jingming, an official from the city's animal husbandry and veterinary department.

Live-poultry trading in the city's large Mawangdui market for wholesale agricultural products has been halted since Tuesday for a thorough weeklong disinfection procedure.

Poultry coming from regions with human H7N9 cases have all been banned from entering the market. Sampling checks have also been undertaken for poultry coming from other places, according to the city's industry and commerce authorities.

The city planned to halt live-poultry trading in all its markets in the future, the report said.

On Wednesday, many poultry sellers in the city suspended business on their own.

"Our sales were down to 10 percent of usual because of the sharp decline in the number of customers. It's a setback that could last for six months at least," a Changsha poultry seller surnamed Sun was quoted as saying.

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