BEIJING – China on Thursday announced the spread of bird flu to a far western region, while Indonesia reported its first outbreak of the virus in the tsunami-ravaged Aceh province, where hundreds of chickens have died from the disease.
The Nov. 17 outbreak in Turpan, a city in China’s Xinjiang region, killed 11 birds and prompted the destruction of 5,180 more, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the Agriculture Ministry.
News of the outbreak, China’s 21st in recent weeks, came a day after the country confirmed its second human death from bird flu.
A 35-year-old farmer identified only by her surname, Xu, died Tuesday after coming into contact with infected poultry and developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms, Xinhua said, citing the Health Ministry.
The woman, who lived in Xiuning County in the eastern province of Anhui, tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus, Xinhua said.
The state-run China Daily newspaper reported Thursday that China was “within days” of testing a bird flu vaccine on 100 people between the ages of 18 to 60.
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