Transparency about avian flu will help stop spread of rumors

Technicians collect blood from a chicken to help poultry feeders disinfect the farm in Linghai, Liaoning province, Jan 20, 2015. [Photo/China Daily]

In January, 79 of the 192 reported cases of the H7N9 avian flu virus in 16 provinces in China resulted in death, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission. This year there has been an early beginning to the avain flu season with a sharp increase in the number of infections. Legal Evening News commented on Wednesday:

China has a lot of experience coping with the avian flu virus since the first outbreak in 2013. Efforts are made to reduce people's contact with live poultry, infected birds are slaughtered, and medical treatment is administered as early as possible. The health system also has a complete set of measures in place for diagnosis, isolation, and reporting. So avian flu can be controlled if people have the necessary awareness of the need for self-protection.

However, whenever someone dies from bird flu, all kinds of rumors emerge, such as the person died of the plague or Ebola, or else some fabricated virus such as "SB250", "SK5", "SK6" and so on.

Sometimes it is easy to detect such information is false, but it is still difficult to try to figure out the mentality or purpose behind the spreading of such rumors. There seems to be no other purpose but to make trouble and cause chaos.

To ensure people do not unknowingly participate in spreading rumors and misinformation, the health sector should provide more information about outbreaks of avian flu so there is no room for rumors to grow.