China intensifies human bird flu prevention
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-11-19 00:31

Hours before the confirmation of human infection was made, China decided to cut the taxes of businesses or individuals that raise, process or sell poultry, another move to boost public morale in fighting bird flu following a month that saw 11 outbreaks in the country.

The decision was made at a State Council executive meeting, which adopted nine measures and promised continued financial subsidies for vaccinating and culling poultry in bird flu-hit areas and building up modern breeding farms to prevent poultry from living side by side with humans.

The government also promised to refund value-added tax on all poultry products until the middle of next year.

Meanwhile, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine on Wednesday issued an emergent circular to the country's entry and exit ports, urging them to strengthen prevention and control efforts against human bird flu.

China quickened its step to fight bird flu earlier this month, when a similar meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao decided to set aside two billion yuan (248 million dollars) to check the spreading of the virus.

On Tuesday, China announced plans to vaccinate its more than 14 billion farm birds, following Premier Wen's remarks last week that the country was "facing a serious situation" in controlling bird flu during his inspection tour of a bird flu-hit county in Liaoning Province, northeast China.

The H5N1 strain of the virus has killed more than 60 people in the world since 2003 and is endemic in poultry flocks in many parts of Asia.

Millions of chickens, ducks, geese and other poultry have been culled after 11 bird flu outbreaks were reported in China.