Control tightened on Russian border due to bird flu in China

Preventive measures against bird flu are taken in Buryatia in connection with the reported cases of the disease among people in neighbouring China. Instructions are given to crews of airliners that fly to China and control services at the border checkpoints, an epidemiological control agency source in Buryatia told Itar-Tass on Monday. Tour operators will be informed about the situation in China and possible risks of infection for Russia tourists. They will be informed about preventive measures against A/H7N9 flu. A conference will be held with the participation of officials of the republic's Health Ministry to consider the situation and measures to prevent bird flu from spreading into Buryatia's territory, the source said. Sanitary control is established at the border checkpoints with monitoring of body temperature of each of the people who arrive from China. A total of more than 2,200 passengers from 26 airliners from Beijing and Manzhouli passed through the control points. No illnesses suspected as bird flu were detected among the people. Preventive measures are also taken in the neighbouring Trans-Baikal Territory. The Rospotrebnadzor public health control agency's department in the Trans-Baikal Territory recommended tour operators and other organizations to inform citizens leaving for China about the confirmed bird flu cases in the country and preventive measures and what to do in case of being infected. According to the World Health Organization’s official data as of April 14, 51 cases of A/H7N9 bird flu among people were registered in five Chinese regions -- Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang and Henan and Beijing, including 11 deaths. It is severe respiratory syndrome with developing pneumonia. The source and the way of the infection spread are unknown yet. Specialists at the Chinese centre for infection control take actions to establish the source and prevent spread of the infection.