(China) Experts pinpoint reason of 300 duck deaths in Guangzhou

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http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200603/05/eng20060305_247954.html

 

UPDATED: 08:20, March 05, 2006

 

Experts pinpoint reason of 300 duck deaths in

Guangzhou

 

The death of some 300 ducks in Guangzhou, capital of

south China's Guangdong Province, was caused by a

virus called Infective Serositis, and not the H5N1

bird flu, reports the provincial agriculture

department.

 

The dead and affected ducks were culled by February 27

and the duck farm, in the Huadu District of the city,

has been disinfected, according to department

officials.

 

A villager in Huadong Township purchased 650 ducklings

in December and January this year and had been raising

them at a pond he contracted, according to the

district agriculture department.

 

The deaths occurred on February 24. The virus is also

known as New Duck Disease as it usually infects only

ducklings. The duck farmer did not take measures to

cope with the epidemic.

 

The district agriculture department sent experts to

the pond on February 27, only to find the water

quality of the pond was bad and it contained many dead

fish.

 

Experts culled the remaining ducks and disinfected the

pond.

 

The disease is quite infectious among ducklings aged

two to four weeks. It is usually triggered by unclean

breeding environment and spreads quickly in cold

weather.

 

Source: Xinhua