Staff members disinfect a vehicle at the entrance to the Sanmenxia Reservoir Area of the Yellow River, central China's Henan Province, Jan. 17, 2015. A total of 93 wild birds including swans and wild ducks had died in the area as of Jan. 14. According to the National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory, the H5N1 virus, a highly contagious strain of bird flu, has caused deaths in the Sanmenxia Reservoir Area, which is a winter habitat for swans that migrate from Siberia in Russia. Local government in Sanmenxia have taken a variety of measures to prevent a possible spread of the virus, including blocking the entrance and examining people who had close contact with the birds. No human infection has been reported so far. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang) |