Coronavirus and H5N1… China is currently struggling on both fronts. The first makes headlines in the media around the world. Departing from Wuhan, the capital of Hibei province, the virus has infected more than 14,000 people to date and killed 361 to date, the epicenter of Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.
In parallel, an epidemic of avian influenza A (H5N1) has appeared in Hunan province, which borders Hubei on its southern border. The epidemic currently affects only chickens. No transmission to humans has been reported, the Chinese agriculture ministry said on Saturday in reports by several local media outlets, including the South China morning Post.
17,828 chickens slaughtered
“The epidemic started on a farm in the district of Shaoyang City. The farm has 7,850 chickens, 4,500 of which died from contagion ”, specifies this same source. Local authorities have decided to slaughter 17,828 chickens in the region to contain the spread of the virus.
Avian influenza A (H5N1) first struck in Hong Kong in 1997, causing the death of six people before reappearing in 2003 in Southeast Asia, causing a total of 282 deaths for 468 cases in 15 countries ( 2003-2009 WHO report). However, this virus is mainly found in birds, especially farmed poultry.
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