Published Date: 2001-05-17 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, H5N1 - China (Hong Kong) (02)
Archive Number: 20010517.0962
AVIAN INFLUENZA, H5N1 - CHINA (HONG KONG) (02)
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See Also
Avian influenza - China (Hong Kong) 20010420.07782000
----
Avian influenza, denied - China 20000608.0923
Avian influenza - China: RFI 20000605.0907
Avian influenza virus, H5 - China (Hong Kong): NOT 20001122.2025
1999
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Influenza H5N1, avian - China (Hong Kong) 19990329.0490
1998
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Influenza, bird-to-human - China (Hong Kong) (31) 19980101.0004
Influenza, bird-to-human - China (Hong Kong) (38) 19980210.0267
Influenza, H5N1, human - China (Hong Kong) (02) 19980113.0101
Influenza H5N1, avian - China 19980108.0055
Influenza H5N1, avian - China (04) 19980119.0156
Influenza H5N1, human - China (Hong Kong) 19980110.0081
Influenza H5N1, human - China (Hong Kong) (04) 19980115.0113
Influenza H5N1, human - China(Hong Kong):serosurve... 19980224.0364
Influenza H5N1, human - China (Hong Kong): serosurvey 19980131.0199
Influenza virus A (H5N1): 2 strains - China (Hong Kong) 19980404.0621
1997
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Influenza, bird-to-human, China (Hong Kong) (17) 19971216.2484
Influenza, bird-to-man, - China (Hong Kong) (12) 19971209.2452
Influenza, bird-to-man, first case? 19970820.1747
Influenza, bird-to-man transmission - China (Hong ... 19971206.2438
Influenza, human, avian strain - China (Hong Kong) 19971204.2426
[1
Date: Thu 17 May 2001
From: Marianne Hopp <mhopp@iri.ldgo.columbia.edu>
Source: WHO Disease Outbreaks Report, Thu 17 May 2001 [edited
<http://www.who.int/disease-outbreak-news/n2001/may/17may2001.html>
Isolation of Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Poultry in Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region of China
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Influenza A (H5N1) virus was recently detected in 3 retail live-bird
markets in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, with increased
mortality in the bird population noted in the last few days. No H5N1
viruses were isolated in other retail markets. No human cases of H5N1 virus
have been detected. The strains isolated from the birds differ genetically
from the H5N1 virus, which caused human disease in 1997. There is no cause
for public health concern, but as a precautionary measure, the birds at all
3 retail markets have been destroyed and the markets cleansed and disinfected.
The following is the transcript of the English portion of the opening
remarks made by Mrs Lily Yam, the Secretary for the Environment and Food,
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, at a press briefing held
on Wed 16 May 2001: Precautionary measures taken to prevent spread of
chicken disease
"I have called this press briefing to announce that at 3.30 this afternoon
the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation has issued a notice
declaring the poultry stalls in 3 markets as infected places in accordance
with the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Regulations. The 3 markets are
Yeung Luk Road Market in Sheung Wan, Fa Yuen Street Market, and the
Smithfield Road Market. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has
already started action to close these poultry stalls and the department has
requested all poultry stall-holders to destroy the live birds in their
stalls, and these stall-holders will be given every assistance and advice
by members of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. The department
has also made appropriate arrangements for the destroyed birds to be sent
right away to a landfill for proper treatment. After all the birds have
been destroyed, the poultry stalls in the markets will be thoroughly
cleansed and disinfected. We have taken this precautionary measure for 2
reasons. The first is that since yesterday, in Yeung Luk Road Market, 763
chickens have died. There are also a number of chicken deaths in the other
2 markets. Tests by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
have demonstrated that these chickens have died of avian influenza. I have
to emphasize that there are many strains of H5N1 and according to the
information currently available, only the H5N1 chicken strain that we had
in Hong Kong in 1997 would affect human beings, and the vast majority of
H5N1 strains will not affect human beings. From samples we have recently
collected from these 3 markets, a few are shown to contain the H5 virus,
and genes sequencing tests have demonstrated that these viruses are not - I
repeat not - the same as the kind of H5N1 chicken virus that we had in Hong
Kong in 1997. Nonetheless, we feel that it is essential for us to take this
precautionary measure because there is a need to destroy these viruses
thoroughly, to prevent their lingering in the market always with the
probability, no matter how low the possibility, that they might - they
might - combine with other viruses to result in a new strain which may
affect human beings. I have to reiterate there is no cause for public
concern at this stage. This is a precautionary measure. The indication is
that there is no evidence that these viruses would affect human beings. Of
course, the public is reminded to observe the usual hygiene standards. The
measures that we have taken and the tests that we have conducted, and the
results, show that in Hong Kong we have one of the best and thorough
surveillance systems covering not just imported birds but also the
arrangements in our markets, and the public can rest assured that this
surveillance system will enable us to detect any problems as soon as they
arise so that we can take the necessary measures."
******
[2
Date: Wed 16 May 2001
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: New York Times Times, Wed 16 May 2001 [edited
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/16/world/16CND-HONG.html>
Hong Kong Orders Slaughter of Chickens to Stop Bird Flu
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HONG KONG: In an echo of its drastic response to a deadly flu virus here in
1997, Hong Kong today ordered the slaughter of 4700 chickens after public
health officials detected a new strain of so-called bird flu. The officials
said that unlike the previous strain, which killed 6 people, there is no
evidence that this strain affects human beings. But it has killed 797
chickens in 3 poultry markets over the last several days, prompting the
government to take what it called precautionary measures. "We believe we
need to adopt a determined effort to stop the spread of this virus," said
Lily Yam, the secretary for environment and food. "Whether this is a strain
that could affect humans, we do not know yet. Nobody can ever be sure of
anything, particularly where viruses are concerned."
In late 1997, Hong Kong killed every chicken in the territory about 1.2
million birds in an effort to stamp out a strain of [avian influenza
virus. The grisly campaign drew unwelcome attention to Hong Kong 6 months
after its return to Chinese sovereignty, but succeeded in containing the
virus. Hong Kong has inspected poultry markets since then for signs of a
recurrence of the virus, known as H5N1. [The designation H5N1 refers to the
antigenic type of the (H)aemagglutinin and (N)euraminidase proteins of the
virus. - Mod.CP. In April, officials found an H5N1 virus similar to the
current strain. But until this week, they had not found a strain that
killed birds, as the 1997 influenza virus did. "We have birds dying, which
makes this different," said Leslie D. Sims, an assistant director of the
agriculture department. Dr. Sims said the influenza was highly virulent,
killing virtually all the infected chickens within days. But he added,
"Just because it causes death in birds does not mean it causes death in
humans."
Officials said people could continue to buy and eat chickens from Hong
Kong's poultry stalls, except for the 3 infected markets, which were shut
down this afternoon. But they acknowledged there was no guarantee that the
strain could not be transmitted to humans by other means. "Up to the
present moment, we have had no human cases," said Saw Thian-aun, the deputy
director of health. "But we recognize there is a possibility it could
affect humans. We learned a bitter lesson in 1997." In that outbreak, the
first known case of avian flu was detected in May 1997 in a young boy, who
soon died. But health and agriculture officials did not devise a concerted
response to the virus until December, by which time it had spread to farms
and markets throughout Hong Kong.
The bird flu scared away tourists and devastated poultry farmers. Coming on
the heels of Asia's economic collapse, it symbolized Hong Kong's painful
passage from British colony to Chinese possession. Today's action seemed
designed to eradicate the new strain at a much earlier stage. Within an
hour of the announcement, health officials fanned out to the 3 markets,
yanking chickens out of cages and slaughtering them. The carcasses were
stuffed into plastic bags and dumped in a landfill site. Ms. Yam said the
markets, which are in different parts of Hong Kong, would be closed for 3
weeks. She said the government had not traced the source of the virus. Hong
Kong imports poultry from neighboring Guangdong Province, but also breeds
chickens on farms in the New Territories. Ms. Yam said Hong Kong had
alerted health officials in Guangdong to look for signs of the virus in the
Chinese mainland.
[Byline: Mark Landler
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