On July 20, 2006, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) notified the U.S. Embassy and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) of the most recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) ¨C H5N1 strain in Yinglanganawati District of Akesu City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This brings to 14 the total number of Chinese reported HPAI cases during calendar year 2006. Chinese authorities confirmed the HPAI H5N1 strain virus in all of these cases. This report includes a translation of MOA's notification.
During 2006, China's broiler production is forecast at 10.4 MMT, lower than the previous estimate due to the impact of HPAI on poultry consumption and production. On January 1, 2006, China implemented a new national standard that reiterates a "0" tolerance for the pathogens salmonella and Ecoli O-157:H7 on raw poultry products. As the result of this regulation and increased quarantine inspections, during December and January AQSIQ suspended shipments from a number of U.S. poultry and pork plants. China's broiler meat imports for 2006 are still forecast to increase 25 percent to 275,000 MT, below the pre-HPAI levels of 2003. China's broiler exports are forecast to increase 31 percent to 470,000 MT due to strong demand in Japan and Hong Kong.
This week China reported its 5th AI outbreak during 2005. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) killed 500 birds in China's Anhui Province, according to a Ministry of Agriculture report filed with the International Organization of Animal Health (OIE) on October 24. Officials destroyed 44,736 birds and vaccinated another 140,000 with an inactivated mono H5N2 vaccine. No human infections were reported.
Last week China reported its 4th AI outbreak during 2005. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) killed 2,600 birds at a breeding poultry farm in China's northern region of Inner Mongolia, according to a Ministry of Agriculture report filed with the International Organization of Animal Health (OIE) on October 19. Approximately 91,100 birds were destroyed and 166,177 birds were vaccinated. No human infections were reported. The farm is near the regional capital of Huhhot.
Today, FAS Beijing received an official notice of China's highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) - H5N1 in Xinjiang. The Ministry of Agriculture of China notified OIE of this outbreak On March 8, 2005. There were 2,177 susceptible and 460 infected birds, and totally 13,457 birds were culled. According to AQSIQ to date, no country has taken quarantine measures against China's commercial poultry yet. AQSIQ request the U.S. to regionalize the HPAI case.
China's Chief Veterinary Officer from the Ministry of Agriculture recently updated information on its avian influenza (AI) prevention program. China uses three kinds of poultry vaccines for AI prevention: the AI inactivating vaccine (H5 sub-type, N-28 strain), the recombinant AI virus inactivating vaccine (H5N1 sub-type, Re-1 strain) and the recombinant fowl poxvirus live vaccine for AI (H5 sub-type). The results of these vaccines are explained in the text.
On November 8, 2004, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) jointly announced a lifting of the import ban on US live poultry and poultry products. US poultry products from all states, except Connecticut and Rhode Island, processed on or after November 9, 2004, will be permitted entry into China. In a meeting with FAS Beijing, MOA emphasized their strong adherence to OIE and other international standards, intimating the hope that the United States will use the same guidelines in assessing China¡¯s request for cooked poultry access and the lifting of the US ban on Chinese Ya pears.
Four months after declaring that avian influenza had been stamped-out, on February 7, 2004, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) announced confirmation of a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1 strain) in a flock of chickens on a small-scale farm in Anhui Province. Though not mentioned in the official announcement, China notified this bird flu outbreak, for the first time, to the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE). Chinese authorities destroyed all birds within a 3-km radius and immunized all birds within a 5-km radius of the original outbreak. Following is an unofficial translation of the announcement.
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