H5N1 reported in North West China

An outbreak of H5N1 in poultry has been reported in China’s northwestern Gansu province, the country’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has announced.

More than 6,200 chickens at a farm in Jingtai county showed symptoms of suspected avian flu and 260 of them have died, according to the MOA.

The National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed the epidemic was H5N1 bird flu after testing samples collected at the farm, the MOA said.

A report submitted to the OIE confirms that local authorities have sealed off and sterilized the infected area, where a total of 18,460 chickens have been culled and safely disposed of in order to prevent the disease from spreading.

A team has been dispatched by the ministry to the quarantined area to guide epidemic prevention and monitoring.

Source: Xinhua / OIE