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www.abc.net.au/ra/news/st...378375.htm
Last Updated 27/05/2005, 18:24:15
Chinese authorities say they have found no human cases of bird flu or unexplained pneumonia after the discovery that avian flu killed wild geese in the western province of Qinghai.
But officials have said many more migratory geese and other birds were found dead of bird flu than previously reported.
Investigators now say they have found more than 500 dead birds in the affected nature reserve.
China previously reported fewer than 200 had been found.
Authorities have ordered all three million chickens, ducks and other farm birds in Qinghai vaccinated, and have told the public to avoid nature reserves.
New vaccines
Chinese scientists have developed two new vaccines which they claim can stop the spread of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in birds and poultry.
Xinhua news agency reports the new vaccines have been developed by China's National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory.
The Laboratory's, Chen Hualan, says the vaccines have proved to be a success.
"Experiments show the efficiency rate of the newly developed vaccines in preventing infection by the H5N1 virus is 100 percent," Ms Chen was quoted as saying.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned that while some vaccines can reduce the amount of virus in the birds, others may be masking the problem.
"In some cases, there's an argument that what you're reducing are the symptoms in birds," said WHO spokeswoman, Maria Cheng.
"But they still have the virus and are still shedding the virus," Ms Cheng told the AFP newsagency.
US braces for flu pandemic
Health officials says the US is not prepared for a pandemic resulting from a mutation of the bird flu virus.
They have warned a medium level pandemic could result in more than 200,000 deaths in the US.
Julie Gerberding, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says between 15 percent and 35 percent of the US population would be affected by a flu pandemic.
She says the cost to the US economy would be between US$71 billion and US$166 billion.
US government authorities and pharmaceutical companies are working together to try to make sure there are sufficient supplies of vaccines and other medicines.
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www.abc.net.au/ra/news/st...378375.htm
Last Updated 27/05/2005, 18:24:15
Chinese authorities say they have found no human cases of bird flu or unexplained pneumonia after the discovery that avian flu killed wild geese in the western province of Qinghai.
But officials have said many more migratory geese and other birds were found dead of bird flu than previously reported.
Investigators now say they have found more than 500 dead birds in the affected nature reserve.
China previously reported fewer than 200 had been found.
Authorities have ordered all three million chickens, ducks and other farm birds in Qinghai vaccinated, and have told the public to avoid nature reserves.
New vaccines
Chinese scientists have developed two new vaccines which they claim can stop the spread of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in birds and poultry.
Xinhua news agency reports the new vaccines have been developed by China's National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory.
The Laboratory's, Chen Hualan, says the vaccines have proved to be a success.
"Experiments show the efficiency rate of the newly developed vaccines in preventing infection by the H5N1 virus is 100 percent," Ms Chen was quoted as saying.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned that while some vaccines can reduce the amount of virus in the birds, others may be masking the problem.
"In some cases, there's an argument that what you're reducing are the symptoms in birds," said WHO spokeswoman, Maria Cheng.
"But they still have the virus and are still shedding the virus," Ms Cheng told the AFP newsagency.
US braces for flu pandemic
Health officials says the US is not prepared for a pandemic resulting from a mutation of the bird flu virus.
They have warned a medium level pandemic could result in more than 200,000 deaths in the US.
Julie Gerberding, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says between 15 percent and 35 percent of the US population would be affected by a flu pandemic.
She says the cost to the US economy would be between US$71 billion and US$166 billion.
US government authorities and pharmaceutical companies are working together to try to make sure there are sufficient supplies of vaccines and other medicines.
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