Photo Credit – FAO
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The link between China's live poultry markets (LPMs) and the spread (and reassortment of) avian flu strains has been well established, with a 2014 case-control study (see CDC: Risk Factors Involved With H7N9 Infection) citing even casual exposure to poultry in live bird markets as the primary risk factor for infection.
The closing of LPMs has been shown to slow, or even halt, the spread of avian flu in China (see The Lancet: Poultry Market Closure Effect On H7N9 Transmission), and we've seen many (unsuccessful) calls for the complete ban on live poultry markets over the years.LPMs bring together large quantities of birds of varying species (chickens, ducks, geese, quail, and others) - imported from different, often distant farms - which are housed in cramped quarters, and then slaughtered (and often de-feathered) in open air booths as thousands of people walk by.
While the move away from live-markets to the sale of `chilled’ birds has been attempted before in China, purchasing live market birds is deeply ingrained in the Chinese culture, as it reassures the buyer that the bird is both fresh and healthy.
A plan that, despite its good intentions, never went anywhere.
Again, in 2017 Beijing Ordered Closure Of Live Bird Markets To Control H7N9, but unregulated illegal markets sprung up to take their place, and eventually the plan was abandoned.
In 2020 - six months into the COVID outbreak - China once again announced a long-term plan to eradicate live poultry markets (see Xinhua report below).
China to close all live poultry markets gradually
Updated: July 3, 2020 20:10 Xinhua
BEIJING — China will close all live poultry markets in a step-by-step manner in a bid to reduce public health risks, an official said on July 3.
China will crack down on the illegal wildlife trade, ban the consumption of wild animals, and impose restrictions on the trade and slaughter of live poultry, Chen Xu, an official with the State Administration for Market Regulation, told a press conference.
Authorities will step up supervision over farmers' markets to ensure food safety amid the COVID-19 epidemic, he said.
China has 44,000 farmers' markets nationwide, including more than 4,100 wholesale markets, said Hu Jianping, an official with the Ministry of Commerce, at the same conference.
About 70 percent of the country's agricultural products are distributed through wholesale markets, which are the main channels for the sales of farm produce, she said.
Farmers' markets, both wholesale and retail, have contributed immensely to ensuring market supplies as they continued to operate normally amid the epidemic, Hu said.
While no context is provided, on January 1st 2025 the city of Shanghai (pop 25 million) banned the sale of live poultry. Whether this is simply part of the long-term plan announced in 2020, or is in response to a recently perceived threat, isn't known.
Announcement of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and Shanghai Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Commission on the suspension of live poultry trading in the city
Release date (2024-12-27)
Shanghai Commercial Regulation [ 2024 ] No. 20
In order to further prevent and control urban public health risks, in accordance with the provisions of the Shanghai Live Poultry Trading Management Measures, with the consent of the municipal government, the city has suspended live poultry trading. The relevant matters are now announced as follows:
1. From January 1, 2025 to December 31 , 2027 , live poultry trading will be suspended throughout the city (in case of special circumstances, a separate announcement will be made) .
2. During the suspension period, designated live poultry wholesale markets and designated live poultry retail trading points are prohibited from trading live poultry. Live poultry from other provinces and cities may not enter the city for trading directly, except when transported to the city's live poultry slaughterhouse for centralized slaughter.
3. During the suspension period, all relevant departments shall strengthen supervision over live poultry trading in accordance with their respective duties. Market supervision, urban management law enforcement, agriculture and rural areas and other departments shall investigate and punish live poultry trading in accordance with relevant laws, regulations and rules , and strengthen joint law enforcement and comprehensive management of live poultry trading.
4. Any organization or individual should consciously abide by this announcement and shall not buy or sell live poultry. If any live poultry trading behavior that violates the provisions of this announcement is found, it can be reported to the market supervision, urban management law enforcement, agriculture and rural areas and other departments through channels such as the Shanghai "12345" citizen service hotline.
This announcement shall come into effect on January 1, 2025 and shall be valid for three years .
This is to announce.
Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce
Shanghai Agriculture and Rural Affairs Commission
December 20 , 2024
China is often reticent to discuss avian flu outbreaks or human infections, meaning we don't have much of a handle on what is going on there. But - based on what they've shared - they haven't seen an H5N6 case in 6 months, did not report any H5N1 cases in 2024, and haven't reported an H7N9 case since 2019.
They did, however, report 15 LPAI H9N2 human infections in 2024 (see CIDRAP Report).
That said, we've seen a growing number of cautionary reports from Chinese scientists warning of reassorted viruses circulating in poultry, many with zoonotic potential.
As an example, these 4 have been published over the past 30 days:
Transboundary & Emerging Dis.: The H5N6 Virus Containing Internal Genes From H9N2 Exhibits Enhanced Pathogenicity and Transmissibility
BMC Genomics: Evidence of an Emerging Triple-reassortant H3N3 Avian Influenza Virus in China
China CDC Weekly: Infection Tracing and Virus Genomic Analysis of Two Cases of Human Infection with Avian Influenza A(H5N6) — Fujian Province, China
Vet. Microbiology: The novel H10N3 Avian Influenza Virus Acquired Airborne Transmission Among Chickens: An Increasing Threat to Public Health
Whether this is the first step of a long-planned phasing out of live poultry markets in China - or is in response to some specific threat - isn't known.
Either way (assuming it can be successfully implemented) it should help reduce the public health risks from avian flu.
Assuming enough other municipalities are willing to follow suit.