World struggles with outbreaks

cctv.com 02-22-2006 09:12

The world is continuing to struggle with more outbreaks of the lethal H5N1 strain of the virus. The World Health Organization says the disease has devastated poultry stocks and killed at least 92 people, mostly in Asia, since 2003.

Authorities in Bosnia began a limited poultry cull of about 4,400 birds from 12 villages on Tuesday, a day after two dead swans tested positive for the H5 bird flu subtype. Authorities ordered all poultry to be kept indoors from Friday, and a telephone hot line has been set up to provide information.

Fears of bird flu in France have caused a dramatic decline in poultry sales after a wild duck was found dead from the virus. Hundreds of millions of euros have been lost despite efforts to reassure the public that eating cooked poultry remains safe. Most human cases so far have been linked to contact with infected birds. But experts fear the virus could mutate into a form that is easily transmitted between humans, sparking a pandemic.

In India, more than half a million birds have been culled in Navapur district of the central Maharashtra state since an outbreak of the virus killed some 30,000 chickens.

The government plans to cull a total of 700-thousand birds within a 3-kilometer radius of the outbreak.

Local farmers are distraught over their losses. The government has offered to compensate them with 90 US cents per bird.

Nine people have been hospitalized with flu-like symptoms in Navapur. They have been placed in isolation while tests for bird flu are carried out.

Editor:Wang Ping  Source:CCTV.com