Hong Kong 2nd postive test for H5

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   Second bird tests positive for avian flu in Hong Kong 

Web posted at: 1/28/2006 4:16:40

Source ::: AFP

HONG KONG: A second wild bird found dead in Hong Kong

has tested positive for avian influenza, the

government in the southern Chinese territory announced

yesterday.

Preliminary tests showed the magpie robin, found on

Thursday in the mainly rural New Territories, was

carrying the H5 strain of the virus, a government

statement said, quoting an agriculture department

spokesman.

Additional tests were being conducted to determine

whether the wild bird was carrying the deadly H5N1

strain, which has killed some 80 people since 2003,

mostly in Southeast Asia and China, the spokesman

added. Last week, a dead magpie robin found in the New

Territories � which border mainland China-tested

positive for the H5N1 strain.

The government said it would inspect 10 poultry farms

within a five-kilometer radius of where the dead bird

was found and step up surveillance of wild birds in

the region.

The spokesman said that if the second magpie robin

were confirmed to have died of the H5N1 strain of bird

flu, it "might be an indication that the virus exists

in the natural environment".

Six members of the family who own the house near where

the bird was found were found not to have any symptoms

of the disease, but were placed under medical watch,

the government said.

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---------------------------

Jan 27, 2006 : 3:10 pm

Also Friday, the U.N. bird flu chief cautioned against

thinking the disease was losing its edge because the

mortality rate in Turkey is lower than in Asia.

"We must still maintain utmost vigilance for and

preparations for the next human influenza pandemic,"

David Nabarro told reporters.

He said the deadliness of the bird flu virus in humans

is not an indicator of whether the risk of a human

pandemic is going up or going down.

"It is simply telling us that the virus may be

changing in the way in which it interacts with humans

when it jumps into them from the birds, but it is not

telling us that the risk of a mutation that causes the

pandemic is increasing or decreasing," he said.

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Hong Kong 2nd postive test for H5 Posted: January 28 2006 at 12:42pm
	Second bird tests positive for avian flu in Hong Kong Web posted at: 1/28/2006 4:16:40 Source ::: AFP HONG KONG: A second wild bird found dead in Hong Kong has tested positive for avian influenza, the government in the southern Chinese territory announced yesterday. Preliminary tests showed the magpie robin, found on Thursday in the mainly rural New Territories, was carrying the H5 strain of the virus, a government statement said, quoting an agriculture department spokesman. Additional tests were being conducted to determine whether the wild bird was carrying the deadly H5N1 strain, which has killed some 80 people since 2003, mostly in Southeast Asia and China, the spokesman added. Last week, a dead magpie robin found in the New Territories � which border mainland China-tested positive for the H5N1 strain. The government said it would inspect 10 poultry farms within a five-kilometer radius of where the dead bird was found and step up surveillance of wild birds in the region. The spokesman said that if the second magpie robin were confirmed to have died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, it "might be an indication that the virus exists in the natural environment". Six members of the family who own the house near where the bird was found were found not to have any symptoms of the disease, but were placed under medical watch, the government said. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp? section=World_News&subsection=Rest+of+the +World&month=January2006&file=World_News2006012841640.xml --------------------------- Jan 27, 2006 : 3:10 pm Also Friday, the U.N. bird flu chief cautioned against thinking the disease was losing its edge because the mortality rate in Turkey is lower than in Asia. "We must still maintain utmost vigilance for and preparations for the next human influenza pandemic," David Nabarro told reporters. He said the deadliness of the bird flu virus in humans is not an indicator of whether the risk of a human pandemic is going up or going down. "It is simply telling us that the virus may be changing in the way in which it interacts with humans when it jumps into them from the birds, but it is not telling us that the risk of a mutation that causes the pandemic is increasing or decreasing," he said.