On 1st February the Municipal Government of Shanghai issued a circular on further strengthening the prevention and treatment of the deadly bird flu. The circular reads as follows:

In order to further strengthen the prevention and treatment of the deadly bird flu and guarantee the health of the people, the Municipal Government of Shanghai, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the laws and regulations of the state and the actual situation of the city, has issued the following circular:

1. Fowls raised within the administration zone of Shanghai shall have free compulsory immunization by the animal epidemic prevention departments. Fowl farms (and breeders) must take the initiative to report to the local animal epidemic prevention departments the species and numbers of the fowls they are raising, consciously accept the compulsory epidemic prevention measures adopted by the animal epidemic prevention departments, and strictly follow the relevant regulations and technological processes pertaining to animal epidemic prevention and environmental protection in conducting sterilization and quarantine. Animal epidemic prevention departments at different levels should strengthen their effort to monitor the results of the compulsory immunization and to conduct quarantine on fowls for slaughter or sale and should seriously conduct the investigation in epizootiology and the prediction and forecast of the epidemic situation. Fowl farms that fail to meet the requirements of the relevant regulations stipulated should be closed according to laws.

2. The wholesale, transaction and slaughter of live fowls within the administration zone of the city should be suspended. Fowl products without quarantine pass are not allowed to be sold on market. Fowl products shall be isolated and sterilized in transportation.

3. Vehicles carrying fowls and fowl products shall enter Shanghai by way of designated entrances (Yangqiao, Gelong, Anting, Baihe, Xicen, Fengjing, Jinwei and Niupeng Port) and are forbidden to enter the city by way of other entrances. Efforts should be made to strengthen quarantine on fowls and fowl products entering the city at the designated entrances and the carrying vehicles must be sterilized. Fowls and fowl products without quarantine pass of origin are strictly forbidden to enter the city. Live fowls and foul products that fail to pass the examination of the city’s animal epidemic prevention departments are strictly forbidden to enter the city’s slaughtering and processing enterprises. Entry-exit inspection and quarantine organs should strictly follow the relevant regulations of the state and prevent fowls and fowl products from epidemic-stricken areas outside of Shanghai from entering the city.

4. Medical and health departments and bird flu monitoring posts shall strengthen their monitoring and early warning efforts on persons who might have infected by bird flu. Once bird flu occurs, the departments should keep a close and timely medical observation of the contactors. Patients who have been constantly exposed to fowls and are having a fever without detected causes must be diagnosed on time and be kept in hospital for observation or isolated medical treatment if necessary. Those who have maintained close contact with fowls should immediately go to medical institutions with fever clinics for diagnosis once fever-like symptoms appear. They should also consciously follow the relevant measures of treatment adopted by the health departments.

5. Hotlines have been set up in the animal epidemic prevention departments and health supervision departments of the districts (counties) in Shanghai. Any unit or individual can immediately report to animal epidemic prevention departments and health supervision departments upon finding fowls or persons who have close contact with fowls with abnormal symptoms. Upon receipt of the report, animal prevention departments and health supervision departments should lose no time in carrying out verification and disposal.

6. Governments at all levels and relevant departments should carry out the requirements of the Central Committee of the CPC, the State Council, the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal government and take strict measures to ensure the health and safety of the people. They should have a high sense of responsibility to the benefits of the people. The administrations of animal epidemic prevention, health supervision, environmental protection, business and administration, quality and technical supervision, public security and public transportation of the city should perform their duties properly, strengthen supervision and execute laws strictly. Actions that are against the laws should be severely penalized.

7. The Municipal Government will continue to announce to the public relevant information in a timely and accurate manner by means of news media. The government will also make full use of the media, the Internet and hotlines to provide publicity for the citizens with a view to guiding them to enhance their awareness of healthy consumption and reminding them of the importance of personal hygiene, environmental sanitation and safe consumption of fowls and fowl products.

This circular shall go into effect as of the date of promulgation and the date of expiration shall be declared later by the Municipal government.