Since September 5, an outbreak of H5N1 among ducks on five farms in the southern Chinese province of Guandong has led directly to the deaths of 9,800 ducks and the culling last week of more than 32,000. Hong Kong authorities will suspend importation of chilled and frozen ducks and geese from the area for a week and shipment of live poultry for three weeks, while it begins more inspections of local farms further from the outbreak.
Full story from The International Herald Tribune:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/17/asia/AS-GEN-China-Bird-Flu.php
In a related story, Hong Kong officials fear that H5N1 in these ducks could be a mutated virus, or evidence of a faulty or ineffective vaccine. All 9,800 ducks infected with H5N1 in this outbreak had been vaccinated against the virus.
"According to Guangdong Animal Epidemic Prevention Center director Yu Yedong, the 9,800 ducks that died at Sixian village had been vaccinated. But he added the first vaccination could only be 65 percent effective, while a second shot would have made it 90 percent. He believed the birds were infected after the first shot."
In addition to traditional containment measures, quarantine and disinfection of all nearby farms, officials are broadening their focus and stepping up inspection and testing at all farms within a 15-mile radius of the initial outbreak.
Poultry sales from the area have fallen 20 to 30 percent since the outbreak began.
Full story from The Standard, via H5N1 blog:
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=53586&sid=15407483&con_type=1&d_str=20070917
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