February 20, 2014
China confirms new H5N1 case in southwestern Guizhou province
A new outbreak of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on one farm in the Chinese province of Guizhou has resulted in the death or destruction of more than 324,000 birds.
The outbreak of HPAI was reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) after it was discovered at a farm in the village of Zhailong of Xixiu District in Anshun City, Guizhou on February 13th.
The farm reported that 3,629 chickens had showed symptoms of suspected avian flu and that 976 of them had died. In total, 324,268 birds were affected of which, 3,629 showed symptoms and 976 died; the surviving 323,292 birds were destroyed.
The National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed the presence of the H5N1 subtype of the HPAI virus. Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a contagious disease of animal origin caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs. It can be fatal to humans.