China says bird flu under control

The Chinese authorities have said that they have brought the outbreak of bird flu in the Guangdong province, near Hong Kong, under control.

In a ministry statement posted on Monday (September 17th), it was reported that all poultry and other farm fowl in the infected area has been destroyed.

"As of September 17, 36,130 ducks have been exterminated and destroyed. At present the epidemic has been brought under effective control," said the ministry.

They added: "Emergency enforced vaccinations have taken place in areas threatened by the epidemic that could be easily infected and all fowl in the infected area have been exterminated.

"Veterinarian experts have also tested animals in areas adjacent to the infected area and have yet to find any other incidence of bird flu."

The outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza, which began in south-east Asia in mid-2003, have affected various countries including the Republic of Korea, Viet Nam, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, China, and Malaysia, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).