China launches mass bird flu vaccination campaign
BEIJING, March 5 (Reuters) - China will vaccinate billions of domestic poultry over the next few months to guard against an outbreak of bird flu this spring, when the virus is at its most contagious, state media reported on Monday.
China’s Agriculture Ministry ordered the vaccination campaign to begin before March 15 and end before May, Xinhua news agency said.
During spring months, migratory birds fly north to summer nesting grounds, providing fertile conditions for spreading the deadly H5N1 virus.
“The ministry will also send experts to help monitor the breeding of poultry and waterfowl, and intensify monitoring of live poultry markets, border areas and regions where bird flu outbreaks were reported in the past,” Xinhua said.
Notice of the campaign comes days after health authorities confirmed a woman from China’s southeastern Fujian province had been infected with bird flu. She remains in hospital, Xinhua said.
Bird flu story source: Reuters’ Alert Net