The government of China's capital city has mobilized all relevant departments and resources to battle bird flu since outbreaks have been reported in several areas.

Officials with the Beijing animal epidemic prevention headquarters said that preventive measures started as soon as outbreaks were reported in some countries months ago. Vaccination and hygiene work was strengthened in poultry farms, packing houses, and transportation and sales locations.

The measures became more rigorous when the nation confirmed its first case of bird flu, and the city government has sent a 20-member team to outlying districts and counties to supervise the prevention work. A comprehensive prevention scheme will be soon completed, according to government officials.

Twenty-four hour checks have been conducted in all air, road, railway links with the outside, and poultry slaughter and processing has been stopped at local markets. The health authorities will inspect the latest situation of the "highly vulnerable" group, namely people dealing with poultry raising, slaughter, transport and sales, and examine their blood serum antibodies.

The prevention work will remain intensive, since migrant workers and students who left the city for their hometowns during the Spring Festival holidays are now coming back, said government officials.

The Beijing Center for Disease Control has also demanded a thorough inspection of flu patients in some 37 flu-monitoring hospitals, and all the samples will be sent for careful medical examination.

The Beijing Health Bureau requires that all medical staff involved in the prevention work must receive special training as of Feb. 15.

So far, no case of the disease has been found in Beijing, according to officials with the Beijing Agriculture Administration.

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2004)