An official with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture said Tuesday the country had vaccinated 4.88 billion fowl against bird flu as of the end of June.
Li Jinxiang, deputy director of the veterinary bureau under the ministry, said the country plans to begin an initiative to vaccinate fowl in remote mountainous areas in the fall, reported Xinhua, China's official government-run news agency.
Li said the Chinese government has formed ties with the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and the World Bank to promote prevention and control of bird flu.
The official said great care has been taken to use "timely reporting and transparency" to inform the world of every bird flu outbreak in China. The country is home to approximately 14 billion fowl, more than any other country.
The country has also offered assistance in fighting the disease to Vietnam, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Indonesia, Li said.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
