HONG KONG

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   Warning after new bird death

Health chief York Chow has warned the territory to be ready for a 

bird flu outbreak after yet another wild bird was found dead from a likely 

infection of the H5 strain of the virus. 

Winnie Chong and Chester Yung 

Thursday, February 09, 2006 (excerpt)

"Health chief York Chow has warned the territory to be ready for a bird flu 

outbreak after yet another wild bird was found dead from a likely 

infection of the H5 strain of the virus.

Compounding concerns, Chow admitted during the Legco meeting 

Wednesday that the administration had no idea how a dead H5N1-

infected chicken ended up in the streets of Tuen Mun Tuesday night, 

speculating that it may have been disposed of by a resident keeping 

chickens in a backyard.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Carrie 

Yau said the area is on high alert and urged anybody who thought they 

might have bird flu symptoms to go straight to hospital.

Sparking worries that the government doesn't have a grip on the 

situation, an unnamed Tuen Mun resident told an ATV reporter that he 

frequently saw live chickens left in Tuen Mun and he believed that the 

dead chicken was disposed of after a Taoist ceremony.

In a sign of the fear gripping the city, and the effectiveness of the 

awareness campaign, more than 100 birds were reported to the 

government Wednesday - though all were confirmed to be H5 free. (Wow, 

a staggering number!)

Meanwhile, a Hong Kong toddler aged 20 months tested negative in a 

preliminary test after returning from the mainland with bird flu-like 

symptoms. He remains under medical observation.

But a medical expert said that the preliminary test was not conclusive. "A 

viral culture will still be necessary, even if the preliminary test is 

negative," said Hong Kong University microbiology department Assistant 

Professor Samson Wong.

 He added that a result from the viral culture may 

take up to two weeks. Hong Kong's last major bird flu outbreak in 1997 

killed six people and prompted the government to slaughter all the 

territory's 1.5 million poultry birds.�

 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_i d=11674&sid=6586688&con_type=1&d_str=20060209 

Edited by Rick

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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 Posted: February 08 2006 at 4:43pm
	Warning after new bird death Health chief York Chow has warned the territory to be ready for a bird flu outbreak after yet another wild bird was found dead from a likely infection of the H5 strain of the virus. Winnie Chong and Chester Yung Thursday, February 09, 2006 (excerpt) "Health chief York Chow has warned the territory to be ready for a bird flu outbreak after yet another wild bird was found dead from a likely infection of the H5 strain of the virus. Compounding concerns, Chow admitted during the Legco meeting Wednesday that the administration had no idea how a dead H5N1- infected chicken ended up in the streets of Tuen Mun Tuesday night, speculating that it may have been disposed of by a resident keeping chickens in a backyard. Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Carrie Yau said the area is on high alert and urged anybody who thought they might have bird flu symptoms to go straight to hospital. Sparking worries that the government doesn't have a grip on the situation, an unnamed Tuen Mun resident told an ATV reporter that he frequently saw live chickens left in Tuen Mun and he believed that the dead chicken was disposed of after a Taoist ceremony. In a sign of the fear gripping the city, and the effectiveness of the awareness campaign, more than 100 birds were reported to the government Wednesday - though all were confirmed to be H5 free. (Wow, a staggering number!) Meanwhile, a Hong Kong toddler aged 20 months tested negative in a preliminary test after returning from the mainland with bird flu-like symptoms. He remains under medical observation. But a medical expert said that the preliminary test was not conclusive. "A viral culture will still be necessary, even if the preliminary test is negative," said Hong Kong University microbiology department Assistant Professor Samson Wong. He added that a result from the viral culture may take up to two weeks. Hong Kong's last major bird flu outbreak in 1997 killed six people and prompted the government to slaughter all the territory's 1.5 million poultry birds.� http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_i d=11674&sid=6586688&con_type=1&d_str=20060209 Edited by Rick