Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) Beijing has ordered the immediate vaccination of 3 million head of poultry in the western Qinghai province to stop a spread of bird flu. This is the first time the virus has been found in the mainland since last year.
The order has been give after discovering the H5N1 virus had killed some migratory birds on the edges of Lake Qinghai: some of the birds were believed to have flown there from Southeast Asia.
The government did not say when the dead birds were found: the Ministry of Agriculture received notice from Qinghai agriculture officials on May 4. In the Lake Qinghai the presence of migratory birds is a tourist attraction. The area has been sealed off for more than 10 days, with police stationed there to prevent tourists from entering.
Veterinary institutions across the mainland were asked to determine the species and the territory of migratory birds in their regions and to take precautionary measures.
Beijing had asked local government to prohibit people from entering the habitats of migratory birds and to prevent contact between migratory birds and poultry.