Shanghai’s Municipal Government has begun culling poultry at a local market, in a move to further contain the spread of the H7N9 strain of the avian flu virus which so far has caused the deaths of at least six people. Local authorities have also announced the halt of all poultry sales across the city.
Personnel from Shanghai’s waste management department moved into the Huzhun market on Thursday. Authorities had detected the H7N9 virus in pigeons at the popular market.
Wearing protective body suits, the waste department personnel culled the remaining poultry at the facility, later placing the carcases in white bags.
The culled poultry is being incinerated at a local biohazard and containment plant.
Officials say the cull is being carried out thoroughly and systematically.
Shao Linchu, Deputy head of Shanghai Agricultural Commission, said "We have culled poultry, the number has so far reached 20,536. They are then sent to a non-hazardous treatment plant in Shanghai for disinfection."
Shanghai authorities say they are halting all sales of poultry across the city, and paying compensation for the loss.
Meanwhile, Shanghai’s Center for Disease Control reiterated its earlier conclusion that the H7N9 virus cannot be transmitted between people. It says one suspected flu victim of the 119 close contacts of the infected H7N9 victims has tested negative for the virus.
The man has been treated in quarantine after developing symptoms of fever, runny nose and itchy throat.
Samples of the virus have been shared with World Health Organization collaborating centers in Atlanta, Beijing, London, Melbourne and Tokyo.
Scientists are analyzing them to identify the best to be used to manufacture a vaccine.