H7N9-concerned Taiwan plans earlier slaughtering ban

TAIPEI - Taiwan's executive authorities are planning to advance implementation of a poultry slaughtering ban amid H7N9 infection fears.

Jiang Yi-Huah, chief of the island's executive body, urged the agricultural authorities to ban slaughtering live poultry in markets ahead of the scheduled date of June 17 at a press conference on Thursday.

The move came after a 53-year-old Taiwan man was confirmed to be infected with the new type of bird flu on Wednesday, the first such case on the island.

The patient showed symptoms three days after returning from Suzhou city in the mainland's Jiangsu province, where dozens of H7N9 cases have been reported.

Jiang said he hopes local authorities cautiously assess the development of the disease by taking into account the health of the people and economic development.

"Relevant departments should make accurate assessment on what stage the infection has developed to and what measures should be taken," said the official.

The island's mainland affairs authorities reiterated at the press conference that Taiwan will not take restrictive measures for tourists from the mainland, but will step up monitoring the health condition of travelers.

Tourists will be hospitalized once found to have relevant symptoms, they said.