On November 3rd, the Chinese government announced the discovery of a new avian flu outbreak, marking the fourth outbreak in just over two weeks. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged governments worldwide to implement immediate action plans against avian influenza.
The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture reported that the outbreak was detected in Liaoning Province. Analysis confirmed that 20 crows and many other wild birds died from the H5N1 avian flu virus. Local statistics indicated that this virus has led to the death of 8,940 chickens and the culling of 369,000 birds at a farm in Badahao village, near the city of Jinzhou, located 400 km northeast of Beijing.
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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan |
Following the discovery of the new outbreak, nearly 37,000 poultry in the affected area were culled. The outbreak zone has been quarantined, and local authorities have ordered vaccinations for 13.9 million poultry in Liaoning. Other outbreaks have been reported in Inner Mongolia, Anhui Province, and Hunan. China has intensified control measures at numerous poultry farms and vaccinated millions of birds across provinces, as well as imposed a ban on the import of poultry and poultry products from 14 affected countries.
In another development, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on national leaders to implement an immediate action plan to prevent a potential avian flu outbreak in humans.
Annan emphasized the need for countries to establish global agreements on a range of prioritized measures, including stockpiling adequate antiviral medications in case of an outbreak.
He also highlighted a scenario where millions could die, healthcare systems could collapse, communities could be devastated, and economies could suffer if a global avian flu pandemic were to occur. According to him, a single organization or just a group of countries would not be able to combat the outbreak; instead, collective cooperation among nations worldwide is essential.
Annan identified among the priority prevention efforts the investment in disease control systems at the source, particularly in poultry farms, along with appropriate financial compensation for farms.
DUC TRUONG (According to AP, AFP)
