An outbreak of H5N6 avian influenza broke out in China

China's Ministry of Agriculture announced it had detected an outbreak of bird flu H5N6 in Sichuan province in southwestern China. There has been no recorded H5N6 virus infection.

Sputnik news agency reported: "An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza occurred on a farm in Xichong in the town of Nam Sung in Sichuan Province."

An outbreak of H5N6 bird flu in Sichuan province, China.(Artwork - AFP).

Out of 2,497 poultry kept there, 1,840 were infected with the virus and died. Local officials have taken all necessary measures to prevent the H5N6 virus from spreading, including the destruction of 2,260 poultry.

Earlier in February, an outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza was reported in Shuangqing Town, Shaoyang City, Hunan Province.

The H5N1 strain has killed dozens of people around the world in the past few decades. The world has witnessed two serious outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in 2019 - 2010 and 2013 - 2014. Both times, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the international community have made every effort to control the spread of this disease.

According to health experts, avian flu - first detected in poultry in Southeast Asia - is a highly contagious flu virus that can be transmitted to humans. However, unlike the current respiratory infections in Wuhan, avian flu can be cured after the WHO has successfully developed the vaccine against the virus.

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