China confirms H5N1, goat plague cases

Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) on Tuesday confirmed outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu in poultry in southwest China’s Guizhou Province and goat plague in northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.On Feb. 13, a farm in a village of Xixiu District in Anshun City of Guizhou reported 3,629 chickens had showed symptoms of suspected avian flu and that 976 of them had died, Xinhua reported.The National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed the epidemic was H5N1 after testing collected samples, according to the MOA.Local authorities have sealed off and sterilized the infected areas, where the infected chickens, goats and goats from the same herds have been culled and safely disposed of to prevent the disease from spreading, said the MOA.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.