BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- China will enact major measures Thursday to halt poultry imports from countries hit by the bird flu, according to the State Administration of Quality Supervision,Inspection and Quarantine (SAQSIQ).

    Live poultry and related products such as eggs and feather are all listed in China's ban against Vietnam, Japan, the Republic of Korea and other affected countries, according to a notice issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and SAQSIQ, Thursday's Beijing Youth Daily reported.

    China will halt any direct or indirect poultry imports in all entry-and-exit ports, the paper quoted SAQSIQ officials as saying.     

    Poultry from the affected regions will be prevented from entering China through mail or by being brought in by tourists. And birds which have arrived in China from the affected regions will be sent back or slaughtered.

In South China's Guangdong Province, hygiene authorities has so far received no reports on infection cases but nevertheless has imposed stringent surveillance measures, said Wang Zhi-qiong, deputy director of the provincial health bureau.

    Meanwhile, chicken farms in and surrounding the province are also scrambling to take preventive measures to deter the bird flu virus.

    In Hong Kong, all live chicken imports to Hong Kong are required to be vaccinated against H5N1 virus starting today, in order to minimize the risk of recurrence of bird blu outbreaks.

    Tsui Ming-tuen, Chairman of Hong Kong Poultry Wholesalers Association, said chicken trade in Hong Kong was not effected by the bird flu outbreak.

       Chinese experts said the outbreak of bird flu in the three Asian countries would not affect Chinese market.

    According to Bo Wen with the China Cuisine Association, 99 per cent of restaurants in the country cook domestic chickens and ducks.

    Ordinary people do not have to worry about the disease, Bo said.

    The prevention of bird flu has long had importance attached to it by relevant departments in China.

    "We have never stopped making efforts for the prevention of bird flu,'' said Li Yan with the Beijing station for veterinary health supervision and inspection.

    Such efforts include the inspections of markets where chicken and other poultry are sold, Li said. Enditem

(Xinhua-China Daily)