Legislators demanded to know whether the DOH was aware of potential threats that the H5N2 strain may mutate into the H5N1 strain, which might more easily infect humans and be passed between humans.
“Don’t let this become another melamine scandal,” Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ho Tsai-feng (侯彩鳳) said.
Minister of the Department of Health Yeh Ching-chuan (葉金川) said that since the virus strain was suspected to be H5N2, the department had authorized the council to handle the matter.
“Even though its is H5N2, it is still cause for worry because it may mutate,” said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Twu Shiing-jer (??, a former minister of health.
Deputy Director-General of the Centers for Disease Control Lin Ting (林頂) said he had not sought out the centers’ Chinese counterpart to discuss the bird flu situation there.
The DOH should “find out the facts” about the recent bird flu scares in China and Hong Kong and keep the communication channels open with health authorities across the strait in order to obtain information about the virus situation, KMT Legislator Daniel Hwang (黃義交) said.
Last night the COA said Japan had informed Taipei that it had temporarily suspended all imports of poultry from Taiwan.
The H5N2 virus strain was first found on Taiwan in 2004.
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