21.05.2005

Ministry of Agriculture announced Saturday that the reported death of migratory birds in West China's Qinghai Province was caused by avian influenza.
The ministry said the national avian influenza reference laboratory confirmed that the latest death of migratory birds (178 spot-headed geese; see Promed Archive Number 20050510.1278) in Gangcha City of Qinghai Province (Western China) reported on May 4 was caused by the deadly H5N1 virus. The disease did not spread to human kind and fowl, the ministry said.
It said Qinghai had taken emergency measures by closing off the spots to prevent people and fowl from contacting wild birds. Quarantine measures have also been adopted.