GONGHE COUNTY, Qinghai, May 19 (Xinhua) -- A Tibetan
county in northwest China's Qinghai Province is culling poultry, disinfecting
farms and banning outsiders from entering Tuesday, two days after an outbreak of
H5N1 avian flu outbreak was confirmed among migratory birds.
Altogether 121 migratory birds were found dead near the Genggahai Lake of Gonghe County in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Hainan on May 8. They tested H5N1 positive at China's National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory on Sunday.
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A staff disinfect a motorcycle in Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, norwest China's Qinghai Province, on May 19, 2009. (Xinhua/ Hou Deqiang) Photo Gallery>>> |
Gonghe County has confiscated 600 poultry and is
disinfecting every farm to avoid infection, though no bird flu symptoms has been
observed at any farm, a local government spokesman told Xinhua Tuesday.
In Tanggemu town, about 15 km from the lake, a team
of medical workers, disease control specialists and policemen were keeping watch
Tuesday morning to disinfect every passing vehicle. Vehiclesand personnel from
outside Gonghe County were banned from entering.
Dukar, a farmer in town, said disease control authorities had taken away all chickens in his neighborhood.
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Staffs disinfect a car in Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, norwest China's Qinghai Provinceon May 19, 2009. (Xinhua/ Hou Deqiang) Photo Gallery>>> |
"Officials visited every house to tell us do's and
don'ts on bird flu prevention."
Farmer Yul Lhathai said he found two dead sparrows
near his home on Monday. "But no one could tell for sure whether they died of
bird flu."
At least 1,000 other migratory birds were still seen
in the wetland of Gonghe County Tuesday.
The county has 133 hectares of wetland and is a major
stopping-off point for migratory birds.