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China still on pig disease alert
By Bao Daozu (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-03 05:45
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-08/03/content_465769.htm

In one of the strongest measures yet taken to combat the streptococcus suis disease, authorities in Beijing impounded at least 4,000 tons of pork from areas affected by the outbreak.

But the country's steps to tackle the infection appear to be paying off with no new cases reported for the second day running.

In the 24 hours from noon Monday to yesterday, no new human cases of the disease were found in Sichuan, the Ministry of Health reported.

Health workers did, however, identify eight previously undiagnosed patients in the province where 10 cities, including Ziyang and Chengdu, have reported outbreaks.

By noon yesterday, Sichuan had identified 159 confirmed and 46 suspected human cases.

One more patient died yesterday, bringing the death toll from the disease in the province to 37.

In Guangdong, about 8.5 tons of pork from cities affected by the outbreak have entered the market in Guangzhou, capital of the province, according to the Guangzhou Industry and Commerce Bureau.

"Guangzhou has impounded 209.8 tons of pork which were imported from Ziyang and Neijiang from July 30 to August 1," Yu Yeming, director of Guangdong Animal Epidemic Prevention Station, told China Daily yesterday.

The 8.5 tons of pork that entered the market were imported by a local food trade company in June.

When the bureau discovered the pork on July 30, only 525 kilograms of the meat was left.

According to the bureau, nobody has yet been found ill from eating pork imported from Sichuan.

In Chao'an County where the only human case of the disease in Guangdong was found, no ill pigs or other human cases have been reported, Yu said.

The man, who caught the disease, was believed to have contracted the bacteria through a wound on his hand while he was slaughtering pigs. He was discharged from hospital last week.

Experts are still confused about the cause of his illness because they failed to find any infected pigs in the area where he had been working.

Experts and officials from several departments under the State Council, including the ministries of health, agriculture and commerce, will share information and work together on disease control, according to a statement released yesterday by the Ministry of Agriculture.

In serious outbreak situations, there should be strict controls on animal movements and slaughtering, said the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday in a fact sheet on streptococcus suis.

The second line of defence relies on increasing awareness of the disease amongst those at highest risk.

Those with open wounds should wear gloves when handling raw or uncooked pork, and all those who prepare pork should wash their hands and clean their utensils thoroughly before and after preparation.

WHO also recommends pork be cooked to reach an internal temperature of 70 C, or until the juices run clear rather than pink.