Published Date: 2002-04-05 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH> Avian influenza - China (Hong Kong) (08)
Archive Number: 20020405.3890
AVIAN INFLUENZA - CHINA (HONG KONG) (08)
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See Also
Avian influenza - China (Hong Kong) (02) 20020206.3492Avian influenza - China (Hong Kong) (07) 20020305.3694
Date: Fri 05 Apr 2002
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Agence France-Presse, 04 Apr 2002 [edited
Hong Kong farms stop chicken sales over fear of new bird flu outbreak
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HONG KONG: The Hong Kong (authorities) have ordered (Thu, 4 Apr 2002)
2 poultry farms to stop selling chickens after laboratory tests found
possible signs of another deadly bird flu outbreak.
"We are closely monitoring developments at the 2 poultry farms after
some problems were found in laboratory tests," a spokeswoman for the
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said. She declined
to elaborate.
However, she said there had been no unusual fatalities on the 2 farms
in Yuen Long in the New Territories and no decision had been made on
a cull. Chicken sales had been stopped to prevent a fresh bout of the
potentially deadly bird flu virus, the spokeswoman added.
In Feb 2002, some 7000 chickens were slaughtered at a farm in the
same area after birds were found to have died of the H5 flu virus.
The virus was related to the H5N1 strain, which crossed the species
barrier and killed 6 people in Hong Kong in 1997.
Some 860 000 chickens in all were slaughtered to curb the (recent)
February 2002 outbreak. [In June 2001, 1.2 million birds were culled
-- at a cost to the government of HKD 245 million (USD 31.45 million)
in compensation -- also to stamp out bird flu.
The first outbreak in 1997 resulted in the culling of 1.4 million birds.
The February cull is believed to have cost Hong Kong taxpayers at
least HKD 5 million (USD 650 000) in compensation to farmers and
sellers.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The ban on sale of poultry from the 2 farms, said to be based upon
"problems in laboratory tests" (serology? PCR?) but no mortalities,
underlines the continuous, intensive surveillance and monitoring
activities by the Hong Kong authorities, which are to be commended. -
Mod.AS
...............................jw/as/pg/lm
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