wfn.org | Taiwan Churches Prepare for Bird Flu

[Taiwan Church News <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

As Bird Flu Approaches Taiwan, Churches Prepare to Respond
Taiwan Church News 2711, 9-15 February, 2004
Reported by Gu Hao-jan & Li Hsin-ren. Translated and rewritten by David 
Alexander

The impact of bird flu on Taiwan has been slight. Only a few tens of 
thousands of poultry have been slaughtered. Many members of the 
Presbyterian Church are engaged in poultry farming, but there is an 
acute awareness among them. To date few have been affected. Clergy 
report that their church members have done good prevention work, but ask 
that prayers for them be unstinting. Farmers and churches alike hope for 
an early end to the contagion. Experts in the field also warn that, for 
so long as the disease is present, those who handle chicken meat or 
consume poultry be especially aware of sanitation issues.

Currently the entire national territory of Taiwan is on watch for bird 
flu. Certain townships in central and south central regions have seen 
slaughters of infected flocks. Calls from investigative reporters to 
several churches in those areas found that all have members involved in 
poultry feeding, but the clergy reported that nothing serious had yet 
come to their churches doors.

The Rev. Mr. Tiu* Heng-jin, pastor of Lo-siong Presbyterian Church in 
Chiong-hoa County said that after bird flu went through his community, 
the members of his church engaged in poultry raising were very stressed 
for a while. Their facilities were inspected by several different 
government agencies, and the outbreak was found to have been light. 
Nearby Ong-kong Presbyterian Church also reports no serious effects. In 
general, churches report that their members may have been touched but 
not harmed by bird flu. Nonetheless, congregations are taking 
additional practices to insure cleanliness of their own facilities and 
to encourage members to prayer.

Upon receiving the news from Chiong-hoa County, Mackay Memorial Hospital 
epidemiologist Dr. Tan Ju-hiam said, Experts consider this disease to 
be spread through birds to those who raise them and their families. 
Quarantine areas must be set at three kilometer distance from 
slaughterhouses. Workers must be careful to observe disinfectant 
procedures.

Taipei City has prohibited feeding of waterfowl and other birds in its 
parks. People who raise chickens at home for their own consumption have 
been told to prevent contact between their flocks and those from outside.

Dr Ng Hu-goan, the vice-superintendent of Mackay Memorial Hospital, 
supports the actions of the Taipei City government. With Dr. Tan from 
the epidemiology staff he counsels identification of the disease and 
prevention of its spread. He says that the prime source of bird flu in 
Taiwan is China. Many people visited China during the New Years 
holidays when there was a serious problem there. The virus traveled 
across the Taiwan straits with them upon their return.

Therefore, Dr. Tan and other prevention experts call for the Chinese 
government to declare an epidemic in accord with the recommendations of 
the World Health Organization. This would clarify matters for everyone 
and help Taiwan and other nations in Asia to take coordinated 
preventative measures. In addition, the three mini links of direct 
transportation between the national territories of Taiwan and China 
should be closely monitored, lest travelers on them bring the contagion 
to their families on this side of the Taiwan Straits.

In the face of the contagions slow but steady approach, Dr. Tan 
counsels frequent hand washing, shopping in inspected open markets or 
indoor supermarkets, buying meat from certified slaughterhouses 
(conforming to the CAS standard), and abstention from the meat of 
freshly killed birds. Those whose jobs involve direct contact with 
poultry might also wear surgical masks while at work.

So far there has not been human to human transmission of the H5N2 virus 
identified with bird flu. But that doesnt mean that it wont happen. 
Sanitation workers must be on high alert.

For those whose customary chicken meals require something freshly 
killed, Dr. Tan advises a break for the duration of the disease threat. 
Slaughter of birds in the markets where the service is offered is 
usually done near where other foods are on sale, and any virus could 
easily be spread to something else.

Dr. Tan said that the symptoms of bird flu in humans can be easily 
misdiagnosed as those of a common cold: fever, runny nose, coughs, 
muscle aches and such. Although nobody in Taiwan has yet contracted the 
disease, we cannot relax. Measures instituted last year for SARS are 
still in effect at Mackay hospital. In the face of a possible contagion 
of bird flu, persons coming to the hospital should first visit the fever 
screening facilities. She says that by this manner, the people can be 
kept safer.

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwans local languages.
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