(Yicai Global) April 2 -- A highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 strain has broken out in Shenyang, the capital China's northeastern Liaoning province and 25,472 domestic fowls have been culled in consequence. 

All the sick and culled poultry have now been neutralized, according to information on the website of China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs today.

H5N1 is a severe respiratory disease in birds. "Human cases of H5N1 avian influenza occur occasionally, but it is difficult to transmit the infection from person to person," the World Health Organization advises on its website, further warning, "When people do become infected, the mortality rate is about 60 percent."

MARA received a report from the China Animal Disease Control Center today, saying that HPAI was diagnosed by the National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory in poultry raised by a farmer in Xinmin. The farmer had 24,500 live birds, and 1,000 dead, MARA said. 

The local authorities put down the birds after the outbreak in accordance with relevant plans and technical requirements for disease prevention and control.

Editor: Ben Armour