H5N1 Outbreak Forces China to Cull 150,000 Birds
CHINA - China has culled more than 150,000 chickens in northwestern Xinjiang Uygur following an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of avian flu.The bird flu outbreak has killed more than 1,500 chickens and infected 5,500.
The decision to cull the birds was made in attempts to limit the spread of the disease.
The National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed the epidemic was H5N1 bird flu after testing samples collected last week (2 July).
China is considered to be a high-risk area for bird flu as it holds the world's largest poultry population.
China's last reported outbreak was in April this year, when around 95,000 chickens were affected in the northern region of Ningxia.
Further ReadingYou can visit the Avian Flu page by clicking here. |