Hong Kong - Poultry/animals/wild birds H5N1 Dec. 18, 2008 +

[sharon sanders]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Hong Kong bird flu outbreak has killed 90,000 chickens (map)

Staff handling dead chickens prior to their disinfection.
Yesterday, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Secretary of Health and Food York Chow said on a farm in Yuen Long unusual dead chickens, the day before yesterday that 60 chickens died.

经快速测试样本后，证实对H5反应阳性，香港将停止供应活鸡21天。

After a quick test samples confirmed positive for H5, the supply of live chickens in Hong Kong will cease 21 days.

与此同时，广东加强来自香港的禽类产品检疫，防止疫情从口岸传入。

At the same time, Guangdong from Hong Kong to strengthen the quarantine of poultry products to prevent the epidemic from the incoming port.

自12月9日起，广东检验检疫局暂停内地活禽包括活鸡、乳鸽和鸡苗等供港，暂停时间为21天。

Since December 9, Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Bureau in the Mainland to suspend live poultry, including chickens, pigeons and chicks to Hong Kong, and so on, time to be suspended for 21 days.

12月9日，香港一家鸡场，工人正将成袋的死鸡运走。

December 9, a Hong Kong chicken farms, workers are bags of dead chickens will be removed.

日前，当地暴发禽流感疫情，约9万只鸡将被扑杀。

A few days ago, the local outbreak of bird flu, about 90,000 chickens will be culled.

<!--link-->

点击浏览更多最新图片

Click here for more up-to-date picture

<!--/link-->

相关报道

Related reports

香港鸡场爆发禽流感全港暂停活鸡供应21天

Hong Kong chicken farms in the outbreak of avian flu in Hong Kong to suspend live chicken supply for 21 days

香港养鸡场出现禽流感疫情8万只鸡将被销毁

Hong Kong chicken farm avian flu 80,000 chickens will be destroyed

广东暂停内地活禽供港冰鲜家禽不受影响

Guangdong to suspend live poultry supplied to Hong Kong, the Mainland frozen poultry will not be affected

本报讯香港流浮山一个鸡场近日暴发禽流感疫情。

A Hong Kong chicken farms in Lau Fau Shan, a recent outbreak of bird flu.

昨日，特区政府宣布，将禽流感警戒级别由戒备升为严重，并实时扑杀疫区内2个鸡场及长沙湾家禽批发市场共约 9万只活鸡。

Yesterday, the Government announced a bird flu alert level was promoted heavily by the serious and real-time culling infected farms within 2 Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Poultry Market and a total of about 90,000 live chickens.

鸡场场主认为，可能与季候鸟迁徙时散播病毒有关。

Farmer that may be related to migratory birds when the quarter related to the spread of the virus.



Farms more than 100 chickens died the day before yesterday

暴发疫情的鸡场位于香港流浮山凤降村，饲养约6万只活鸡。

The outbreak at chicken farms in Lau Fau Shan, Hong Kong, Fung Kong Tsuen, keeping about 60,000 live chickens.

场主为新界养鸡同业会理事长黄宜全。

The main market for the New Territories Chicken Breeders Association chairman of the all-Dr.

黄宜全表示，前日，鸡场内有百余只活鸡陆续发病死亡，他随即通知香港渔护署。

Dr said that the day before yesterday, with more than 100 farm chickens one after another incidence of death, he immediately informed the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

由于现在是候鸟迁徙季节，他怀疑是由候鸟传染得来，这次杀鸡每只只赔30元，令他损失惨重，他 说心情沉重。

It is due to the migratory season, he is suspected to have spread by migratory birds, the chicken slaughtering each pay only 30 yuan, he suffered heavy losses, he said with a heavy heart.

经检验系H5禽流感

By the Department of H5 bird flu testing

食物及卫生局局长周一岳表示，接报后派员到鸡场抽取死鸡及鸡粪样本作快速测试，结果证实对H5禽流感病毒呈 阳性反应。

Food and Health Secretary York Chow said that after receiving the report sent to the farms and chicken samples taken from dead chickens to make a quick test, confirmed that the bird flu virus to the H5 positive.

昨日，宣布由戒备升为严重应变级别，有关鸡场已列为疫点，方圆3公里列为疫区，区内2个农场8万只活鸡要全 数销毁。

Yesterday, announced by the alert level upgraded to serious strain, the farm has been classified as epidemic, as a 3 km radius of infected areas, 2 farms in the region 80,000 to destroy all chickens.

由于该鸡场有鸡只曾流入长沙湾家禽批发市场，所以市场内约1万多只活鸡亦将被杀。

As the farm had chickens into the Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Poultry Market, the market about more than 10,000 chickens will be killed.

同时，特区政府要求，所有农场的鸡只暂停出货21天，暂停入口所有活家禽、鸡苗及观赏鸟21天 。

At the same time, the Government requested that all chicken farms in the suspension of shipments for 21 days to suspend all import of live poultry, chicks and Guan Shangniao 21 days.

周一岳说，今年冬至，全港市民没有活鸡吃，但冰鲜鸡会如常供应。

York Chow said that this year the winter solstice, the people of Hong Kong did not live to eat, but the supply of chilled chickens will be business as usual.

疫情起因说法不一

The causes of the disease vary

周一岳认为，疫情起因很可能是鸡场的生物安全措施出现漏洞。

York Chow believes that the causes of the epidemic is likely to be farm biosecurity measures loopholes.

但黄宜全否认此说法，他说，近期已更新场内的生物保安措施，不明白鸡只为何染病。

However, Dr denied that the whole idea that the recently updated site biosecurity measures, do not understand why the infected chickens.

由于死鸡中包括曾接种疫苗鸡只，不知道是否意味着病毒已经变种，周一岳指出，这些需要化验和基因排列，才能 确定。

As the dead chickens had been included in the vaccination of chickens, I do not know whether that meant the virus has variants, York Chow pointed out that the need for these tests and gene sequencing to determine.

相关人员已开始扑杀鸡只

Officials have begun to cull chickens

昨天，在香港长沙湾家禽批发市场内，穿着保护袍的食环署人员，到场清洗鸡笼，又在市场内洒上消毒粉，稍后场 内逾万只活鸡将被扑杀，而全港街市今日起没活鸡出售。

Yesterday, the Hong Kong Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Poultry Market, wearing gowns of the department, arrived at the scene cleaning cages, and garnish with the market disinfectant on-site later 10,000 chickens will be culled, while the all - Markets in Hong Kong today not to sell live chickens.

此外，大批穿上防护衣物的食环署人员，昨午到事发鸡场扑杀活鸡，直至天黑才暂停行动，留待今天 继续。

In addition, a large number of protective clothing to put on the department's staff yesterday afternoon that the incident killed farm chickens until dark before the suspension, continue to wait until today.

昨晚，香港卫生防护中心派出2辆救护车，救护员均穿上全套保护衣物及戴上口罩，将场主黄宜全及另外6名工人 送往医院检验，暂未发现病征。

Last night, the Hong Kong Center for Health Protection to send 2 ambulances, ambulance crew members were put on a full set of protective clothing and wear face masks will be the main market and the entire Dr 6 other workers to a hospital for examination so far revealed no symptoms.

据介绍，这是香港自2003年初以来，首次在农场出现禽流感疫情。

It is reported that Hong Kong since early 2003, for the first time in the farm outbreak of avian flu.

■ 应对

■ response

广东暂停内地活禽供港21天

Guangdong to suspend live poultry supplied to Hong Kong, the Mainland for 21 days

本报讯自12月9日起，广东检验检疫局暂停内地活禽包括活鸡、乳鸽和鸡苗等供港，暂停时间为2 1天。

A since Dec. 9, Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Bureau in the Mainland to suspend live poultry, including chickens, pigeons and chicks to Hong Kong, and so on, time to be suspended for 21 days.

昨天，由于香港发生H5N1禽流感，广东加强来自香港的禽类产品检疫，同时要求各口岸加强来自香港旅客携带 的禽类产品查验，防止疫情从口岸传入。

Yesterday, as the H5N1 bird flu occurred in Hong Kong, Guangdong from Hong Kong to strengthen the quarantine of poultry products, at the same time requested the port to carry passengers from Hong Kong to strengthen the inspection of poultry products to prevent the epidemic from the incoming port.

深圳检验检疫局称，将采取通知有关分支局暂停受理活禽报检、对11个供港活禽注册饲养场进行全面巡查等措施 ，防止禽流感疫情传入。

Shenzhen Inspection and Quarantine said that will be taken to inform the Fenzhi Ju accept suspension of live poultry inspection, 11 of live poultry supplied to Hong Kong to conduct a comprehensive inspection of registered farms, and other measures to prevent the introduction of bird flu.

综合《深圳商报》 《深圳特区报》等媒体

Comprehensive "Shenzhen Commercial Daily," the "Shenzhen Special Zone" and other media

http://news.qq.com/a/20081210/000462.htm

[Shiloh]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Source: http://72.14.205.102/translate_c?hl=...QZhZKsbgSsWysw

A model farm of 200 chickens died of bird burst
2008-12-10
半數曾注射疫苗冬至將無活雞 Half of them have been vaccinated chickens will be no winter


【明報專訊】今年冬至，市民將不會有活雞「還神」。 AP】 winter this year, members of the public that there will be no live chickens "God." 元朗流浮山廈村一雞場昨日證實爆發禽流感，已知最少有200隻雞死亡，抽驗的3隻死雞及120個活雞糞便樣 本，經快速測示後全部顯示對H5呈陽性反應。 A chicken farm in Lau Fau Shan, Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long yesterday confirmed the outbreak of bird flu, known for at least 200 chickens died and samples of dead chickens 3 and 120 stool samples of live chickens, said after the quick test showed that all tested positive for H5 . 由於死雞當中有一半曾注射禽流感疫苗，但一樣敵不過禽流，令人憂慮究竟是疫苗失效，還是病毒已 變種。 As the half dead chickens had bird flu vaccine injection, but no match for the same bird, worrying whether the vaccine is ineffective, or variants of the virus have been. 加上今次事件發生在一個政府也認定是防疫工作很好的「模範農場」，令人感到事不尋常。 Coupled with the incident took place in a government that is epidemic prevention work very well as a "model farm", it is an unusual thing.

食物及衛生局長周一嶽昨午即時宣布將本港禽流感的應變級別，由原本的「戒備」提升至「嚴重」，並即時將爆發 病毒雞場及方圓3公里範圍列為疫點及疫區，同時禁止所有本地農場雞隻推出市場及所有活家禽入口 21天。 Food and Health Secretary York Chow yesterday announced that it would immediately Hong Kong bird flu strain level, from "alert" to raise "serious" and would be an immediate outbreak of the virus and chicken farms within 3 km radius spots as the scope and areas, At the same time, a ban on all chickens in local farms on the market and import of all live poultry for 21 days. 一旦發現再有其他農場感染，會即時下令宰殺全港約60萬隻雞。 Once again there are other infected farms will be immediately ordered the slaughter of about 600,000 chickens.

周一嶽昨午召開記者會，表示漁護署於前日下午接獲一本地雞場通知，發現有不尋常雞隻死亡，署方到場後發現約 有60隻死雞，隨後取走樣本化驗，經快速測試，結果對H5呈陽性反應，顯示雞已感染禽流感病毒 。 York Chow held a press conference yesterday, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on the day before yesterday afternoon received a notice of local chicken farms and found that unusual chicken deaths, the Department arrived at the scene and found about 60 dead chickens, and then taken away for testing, After a quick test, the results of the H5 positive, showing chickens have been infected with avian influenza virus. 雞場東主及職員共8人則暫時未有任何感染病徵。 Farm owners and staff of a total of 8 people do not have any symptoms of infection.

撲殺9萬雞停供21天 90,000 chickens culled to stop for 21 days


為防止病毒散播，由周一嶽領導的跨部門小組，已決定根據「嚴重」級別的應變計劃，採取一連串措施，除了銷 疫點雞場內的約6萬隻雞，以及疫區內另一雞場約2 萬隻活雞，由於疫點雞場有雞曾進入長沙灣臨時家禽批發市場，故市場內約1萬隻雞亦不能倖免，即合共約有9萬 隻雞會被即時銷。 In order to prevent the spread of the virus, York Chow, led by the inter-departmental working group has decided in accordance with the "serious" levels of contingency plans to adopt a series of measures, in addition to selling the farm outbreak  about 60,000 chickens in infected areas, as well as the other About 20,000 farm chickens, as the epidemic of chicken farms have had access to the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market, the market of about 10,000 chickens has not been spared, making a total of about 90,000 chickens will be sold immediately  .

爆疫雞場由新界養雞同業會理事長黃宜全經營，場內有防鳥網等設施，養雞數量也一直受漁護署監控 。 Explosion farms infected by the New Territories Chicken Breeders Association chairman Dr whole operation, an anti-bird nets have facilities such as the number of chickens have been monitored by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

周一嶽不排除有走私雞 York Chow did not rule out the possibility that the smuggling of chicken


周一嶽在會上指出，暫時未知雞感染病毒的源頭，但會看不同的生物保安問題，相信較大可能是防鳥網出現問題， 足夠讓野鳥進入雞場「交叉感染」，或有雞場職員沾到野鳥糞便帶進雞場，當局會從多方面進一步調 查。 York Chow said at the meeting that, unknown for the time being the source of chickens infected with the virus, but it will look different biosecurity problem, I think it might be more anti-bird nets problems is long enough for the chicken into the wild "cross infection", or farms Zhandao staff of the wild birds into the chicken manure will be many ways for further investigation. 他亦不排除雞場曾出現走私雞的可能。 He does not rule out the possibility of smuggling of chicken farms have been possible.

他又表示，今次首先是有「種雞」死亡，之後影響到「哨兵雞」，部分有接受疫苗注射的雞亦受感染死亡，當局目 前仍未能確定疫苗是否失效，還是病毒出現變種，稍後會進一步做基因排序測試。 He also said that this is the first of the "chicken" death, followed by the impact of the "sentinel chickens" are part of the vaccination of chickens also died of infection, the vaccine has not yet been able to determine whether the failure or the emergence of variants of the virus, Will do further genetic sequencing tests.

漁護署表示，截至昨晚最少有200隻雞死亡，當中100隻為沒有接受疫苗的「哨兵雞」，其餘為 「疫苗雞」。 Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said that as of last night, at least 200 chickens died and 100 were not accepted for the vaccine, "sentinel chickens", for the rest of the "chicken vaccine."

周一嶽表示，該雞場上周五最後一次將雞推出市場，經漁護署檢查後證實沒有問題，在「日日清」的政策下，相信 現時零售層面沒有受感染的雞出售。 York Chow said the farm last Friday will be the last time the chicken market, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department after the inspection confirmed that there is no problem, "day-ching" policy, now believe that at the retail level has not affected the sale of chicken.

當局亦會暫禁所有農場的雞出場21天，其間漁護署會巡視所有農場，並抽取樣本化驗，以保證其他農場不受病毒 影響，亦會暫停所有活家禽，包括雞苗和觀賞雀鳥入口21天，最快要在聖誕後才可恢復活雞供應，「今年我們做 冬是無活雞的」。 The Administration will temporary ban on all chicken farms out 21 days, during which the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will inspect all farms, and samples were taken to ensure that the impact of the virus from other farms, would be closed to all live poultry, including ornamental birds and chicks Entrance for 21 days at the earliest before Christmas to resume the supply of live chickens, "This year we have to do in winter is no live chickens."

今次政府下令宰殺約9萬隻活雞，每隻會向雞農賠償30元，即政府共要撥出270萬元。 The government ordered the slaughter of about 90,000 live chickens, each only to 30 yuan compensation for chicken farmers, that the Government should set aside a total of 2,700,000 yuan. 香港活家禽批發商會會長徐名團表示，冬至將至，政府停止活雞供應令批發商「一殼眼淚」，但未能 估計損失。 Hong Kong's live poultry wholesalers who would XU president of the corporation said that the approach of winter, the government stopped the supply of live chickens to wholesalers "gone", but was unable to estimate losses.

這是本港今年第二次大規模爆發禽流感，周一嶽表示，一定會執行中央屠宰，但就未有提及會否加快推行，又指早 前當局向雞販的收牌申請已於9月結束，暫時未有準備再提出交牌的考慮。 This is the second time this year, large-scale outbreak of bird flu, said York Chow, will be the implementation of central slaughtering, but did not mention whether it will speed up the implementation, but also the earlier resumption of chicken traders to apply for a license was in September The end is not yet ready to make cross-licensing considerations.

康文署發言人表示，元朗公園內的百鳥塔因位於受感染雞場3公里半徑範圍內，將即時關閉直至另行 通告。 A spokesman for the department said that the Yuen Long Park Tower as a result of the birds at infected farms within 3 km radius, will be immediately closed until further notice.

明報記者 Ming Pao Daily News Correspondent

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Time has come to fix failing bird flu defences

LEADER

Dec 10, 2008 Our city's elaborate defences against bird flu have, once again, been breached. This time, dead chickens at a farm in Yuen Long have been confirmed to be infected by the H5 virus. The government must move swiftly to discover the source of the infection and review the system. It is clearly not working as well as it should do....

http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2c913216495213d5df646910cba0a0a0/?vgnextoid=d4c26cf602c1e110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=teaser&s=opinion

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Avian flu strikes Hong Kong poultry farm

Lisa Schnirring Staff Writer

Dec 9, 2008 (CIDRAP News) – Health officials in Hong Kong today said they have detected an H5 avian influenza outbreak at a poultry farm in Yuen Long, marking the country's first farm-based outbreak since 2003.
York Chow, Hong Kong's secretary for food and health, said in a press release today that the H5 avian flu virus struck 60 chickens, which died yesterday. He did not say if the virus at the farm was the highly pathogenic H5N1 subtype.
Malik Peiris, a virologist at the University of Hong Kong, said it is "highly likely" that the virus is the lethal H5N1 strain, because other strains aren't as deadly as the one involved in the outbreak appears to be, according to a report from Reuters today. "But this has to be confirmed," he said.
Chow said in the press release that he elevated Hong Kong's avian flu alert to serious after receiving the H5 test results. He said the agriculture department will cull 80,000 chickens within a 3-km radius of the index farm and will destroy another 10,000 chickens from the area that have been transported to a wholesale market.
Hong Kong's government has also banned the export of chickens from all of the special administrative region's farms and has halted all poultry imports, both effective for the next 21 days.
He said Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection would monitor the status of the farm's owners and workers, none of whom have developed symptoms. Chow also said in the statement that veterinary officials have closed an aviary park near the farm and are monitoring the health of 1,500 birds that are kept in other parks in Hong Kong.
The length of time since Hong Kong's last farm outbreak is a sign that the prevention measures have worked well, he said in the statement. However, he said he was concerned about the latest outbreak, because the first chickens to die were those that had not been vaccinated.
According to a Feb 5 report from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the H5N1 virus is common and present year-round in Hong Kong, occurring in resident and migratory birds. The report said poultry farms are constantly monitored with serologic and virologic testing. All farm chickens routinely receive an inactivated H5N2 vaccine, and each flock contains 60 unvaccinated sentinels that are monitored over the lifespan of the group.
In July, Yuen Kwok-yung, who heads the University of Hong Kong's microbiology department, warned that the poultry vaccine has lost its effectiveness over the past 7 years of use, according to previous reports. He said that the virus in Hong Kong had shifted away from the Fujian strain that the vaccine was developed for and advised officials to ban live poultry from Hong Kong markets before the vaccine becomes completely ineffective.
One month earlier, animal health officials had detected the H5N1 virus in poultry feces at several market stalls, but did not determine the source of the virus.
Over the past few years, Hong Kong has filed several reports of individual sick or dead wild birds that tested positive for the H5N1 virus. The recent OIE report described two egrets—one found dead and one found sick in a Hong Kong park—that tested positive for the H5N1 virus in November and December 2007.
See also:
Dec 9 Hong Kong government press release


Feb 5 OIE report


Jul 10 CIDRAP News story "Expert warns Hong Kong's avian flu vaccine is waning"

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/dec0908birds-jw.html

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Avian flu strikes Hong Kong poultry farm

Over the past few years, Hong Kong has filed several reports of individual sick or dead wild birds that tested positive for the H5N1 virus. The recent OIE report described two egrets—one found dead and one found sick in a Hong Kong park—that tested positive for the H5N1 virus in November and December 2007.
See also:
Dec 9 Hong Kong government press release


Feb 5 OIE report


Jul 10 CIDRAP News story "Expert warns Hong Kong's avian flu vaccine is waning"

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/con...8birds-jw.html

Dead wild bird H5N1 in Hong Kong in 2007/2008 season

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=190931&postcount=7

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=190932&postcount=8

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=190933&postcount=9

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=190934&postcount=10

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=190935&postcount=11

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=190937&postcount=12

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Slaughtered

<!-- Hong Kong is on heightened bird flu alert today after health chiefs ordered the mass slaughter of 90,000 chickens and a three- week ban on live chicken imports and poultry sales from local farms.

//-->Patsy Moy, Adele Wong and BeatriceSiu

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

<TABLE id=Table2 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=9 width=250 align=right border=0 vAlign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD>
<!--caption here --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Hong Kong is on heightened bird flu alert today after health chiefs ordered the mass slaughter of 90,000 chickens and a three- week ban on live chicken imports and poultry sales from local farms.

Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok made the order yesterday, 24 hours after one of the SAR's biggest chicken farms - Fung Kong Tsuen in Yuen Long - revealed that 200 of its birds had dropped dead.
A number of the dead chickens had been inoculated against the flu, sparking concerns over the efficacy of the vaccine and a possible mutation of the virus.
Three of the dead birds tested positive for the H5 virus and further tests are underway to find out if they had the deadly H5N1 strain, which has killed about 250 people worldwide since late 2003.
Health chiefs have also warned frontline medical staff to be on the lookout for infected poultry workers.
"We feel that Hong Kong is facing a new alert for bird flu," Chow said.
The last mass cull was in January 2003, when farms in Pat Heung were infected.
Last night, the farmer at the center of the latest cull, Wong Yee-chuen, said the slaughter of 80,000 birds at his farm was a big loss.
The farm was supplying chickens to retail outlets up until last Saturday, he said, adding that under the present regulations, birds left unsold at the end of each day must be killed to prevent infection.
"There's no question of any unhealthy chickens being sold," he said.
The cull also extended to other farms within a thr <TABLE id=Table2 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=9 width=250 align=right border=0 vAlign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>ee-kilometer radius in Lau Fau Shan as well as Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market, bringing to 90,000 the total number of chickens slaughtered.
The farm and traders will receive compensation of HK$30 for each chicken killed.
Health chief Chow has not ruled out a widening of the cull if chickens on other farms test positive.
Eight people who work on the Yuen Long farm, including the owner, showed no symptoms of bird flu.
Chinese University respiratory medicine professor David Hui Shu- cheong expressed concern, saying the density of chickens on farms makes the spread of any virus easy. There is also a risk that farm workers can contract the virus through direct contact with chickens, he said.
Hui, who is also a member of the scientific committee on emerging and zoonotic diseases under the Centre for Health Protection, believes wild migrant birds from the north could have been the source of the infection.
Hong Kong University microbiologist Ho Pak-leung said infection is possible during transportation or from environmental pollution.
He also expressed fears of a virus mutation that will undermine the efficacy of current vaccines.
Peter Cordingley, spokesman for the West Pacific region of the World Health Organization, said he is disappointed but not surprised the virus is still so versatile in the region. "We are disappointed because Hong Kong has been doing so well in preventing an outbreak," he said.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/weeken...n_type=3&d_str=

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Bird flu fears prompt HK import halt
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-10 06:54

HONG KONG -- Three chickens found dead on Monday have tested positive for bird flu, prompting authorities to suspend poultry imports for 21 days and begin slaughtering 80,000 birds, a senior official said on Tuesday.


Workers collect dead chickens at a farm in Hong Kong's northern Yuen Long district, bordering the mainland, on December 9, 2008. [Asianewsphoto]

"We feel that Hong Kong is facing a new threat from bird flu," York Chow, secretary for food and health, said.
The chickens, found dead at a farm with 60,000 birds, have been confirmed as having the H5 virus and further tests are being carried out to see if it was the H5N1 strain, he said.
The farm and neighboring poultry operations have been declared part of an infected zone, and about 80,000 birds in the area will be killed to prevent the spread of the disease, Chow said.
The 21-day ban on poultry imports will last through the Christmas holiday, a time when chicken is traditionally on the menu, he said.
Hong Kong's biggest bird flu outbreak came in 1997, when six people died after the H5N1 jumped from fowl to humans. In response, the government slaughtered all 1.5 million poultry in the city.
Authorities carried out a similar cull to eradicate a flu outbreak in 2001, killing 306,000 birds from markets and 951,000 from farms, Chow said.
There are currently about 600,000 birds left in the region, he said.
Since 2003, at least 245 people around the world have died from bird flu, according to figures from the World Health Organization.
The Hong Kong government has been encouraging retailers to stop selling live birds, and the majority of shops have given up their licenses to sell live poultry.
However, consuming fresh chicken is an important part of the local culture and many shoppers still demand freshly slaughtered birds.
Agencies

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-12/10/content_7288084.htm

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

.....In July, Yuen Kwok-yung, who heads the University of Hong Kong's microbiology department, warned that the poultry vaccine has lost its effectiveness over the past 7 years of use, according to previous reports. He said that the virus in Hong Kong had shifted away from the Fujian strain that the vaccine was developed for and advised officials to ban live poultry from Hong Kong markets before the vaccine becomes completely ineffective.
......

Why not just use a re-formulated vaccine?

.

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Why not just use a re-formulated vaccine?

.

You would be surprised by the vaccines floating around in the world.

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Updated map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106484775090296685271.00044622013f3bba138f7&num=200&start=400&ll=22.47132,114.011993&spn=0.600243,0.75531&t=h&z=10

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Why not just use a re-formulated vaccine?

.

Vaccine issue is not new. H5N2 vaccine was made 10 years ago

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07070804/H5N1_HK_Vaccine.html

[Treyfish]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Hong Kong chicken farms in the outbreak of avian flu in Hong Kong to suspend live chicken supply for 21 days

<HR>

2008年12月09日18:39 来源：中国新闻网

At 6:39 p.m. on December 9, 2008 Source: China News Network

发表评论

Comment

<HR><!--Yc94EUEtAn4YSUKCaSOM -->


Hong Kong, Dec 9 (Reporter Wen Qing) - Hong Kong, another outbreak of bird flu.

香港特区政府食物及卫生局长周一岳今天表示，元朗一个农场向当局汇报出现不寻常死鸡，昨有六十只鸡只死亡， 经快速测试样本后，证实对H5反应阳性，香港将停止供应活鸡二十一天。

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Secretary of Health and Food York Chow said today that a farm in Yuen Long to the authorities to report unusual dead chickens, the last 60 chickens died there, the quick test samples confirmed positive for H5, will stop in Hong Kong 21 day supply of live chickens.

周一岳表示，当局和有关部门，包括渔护署、卫生署、食环署商讨对策后，鉴于农场发现有禽流感病毒，在渔护署 署长建议下，启动原来的戒备应变级别，升为严重应变级别。

York Chow said the authorities and relevant departments, including Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Department of Health, the department to discuss measures, in view of the farms found to have bird flu virus, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Director of the proposal, the original start of the alert response level, was promoted to Severe strain level.

渔护署署长宣布该鸡场为疫点，以及该鸡场三公里范围之内，列为疫区。

Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation announced that the farms for the outbreak, as well as the chicken farms within 3 km range, as infected areas.

渔护署会随即销毁疫区内所有鸡只，涉及两个鸡场大约八万鸡只。

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will immediately destroy all chickens in infected areas, involving about 80,000 chickens in two farms.

发现禽流感的鸡场场主黄宜全表示，场内昨日死了很多只鸡，他发现情况有异，因此通知渔护署，并即时停止出鸡 至批发市场。

The discovery of avian flu Dr farmer said that the site yesterday, many chickens died, he found the situation there, so to inform the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the immediate cessation of chickens to the wholesale market.

他形容，目前心情沉重，整个农场约有数万只鸡。

He described the present with a heavy heart, the entire farm, about tens of thousands of chickens.

他未知鸡只死亡原因，但估计或与候鸟传播有关。

He unknown cause of death of chickens, it is estimated that with or related to the spread of migratory birds. <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD><OBJECT class=inlineimg title="Big Grin" border=0 codeBase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,19,0" alt="" classid="clsid</OBJECT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

为了防止病毒散播，当局决定采取多项措施保障公众健康，包括暂时禁止所有农场的鸡只出场二十一天，其间渔护 署会巡视所有农场，抽取样本以供化验，保证病毒无扩散至其他农场。

In order to prevent the spread of the virus, it was decided to take a number of measures to protect public health, including a temporary ban on all chicken farms out of 21 days, during which the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will inspect all farms to take samples for testing to ensure that no virus has spread to other farms .

此外，暂停所有活家禽包括鸡苗以及观赏雀鸟的入口二十一天。

In addition, the suspension of all live poultry, including ornamental birds, chicks, as well as the entrance to 21 days.

疫区内的鸡只曾经运往长沙湾家禽批发场，暂时留在鸡场的万多只活家禽，因应安全起见会销毁。

Infected chickens had been sent to the Cheung Sha Wan wholesale poultry market, for the time being remain in the farms of more than 10,000 live poultry, in response to safety, will be destroyed.

食环署和渔护署会在各街市和长沙湾鸡禽批发市场进行大清洗，防止病毒滋生和积聚。

FEHD and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department in the chicken market and the Cheung Sha Wan poultry wholesale market for cleaning large, to prevent the virus from breeding and build up.

卫生防护中心会接触有关农场，跟进东主和从业员健康情况，但暂时未收到有任何病症报告。

Center for Health Protection will approach the farm, proprietors and employees to follow up on health, but have not received any report of the disease.

医管局已通知香港公立医生，关注接触过家禽及家禽从业员，若有呼吸道病症，要加倍留意。

The Hospital Authority has informed the public of Hong Kong doctors, concerned about exposure to poultry and poultry workers, and if so, respiratory disease, it is necessary to pay close attention.

周一岳表示，事件反映香港过去预防禽流感机制有效，恒常的监控和警觉令疫情刚开始便发觉，因而可以提早作出 一系列措施。

York Chow said Hong Kong's events in the past an effective mechanism to combat avian flu, the long-term monitoring and vigilance at the beginning of the epidemic to be found, which can be made ahead of a series of measures.

卫生防护中心会发信提醒全港医生，呈报怀疑个案，而且设立电话热线供查询，并会监测家禽从业员 健康。

Center for Health Protection is sending out letters to remind doctors in Hong Kong, reported suspected cases and setting up a telephone hotline for inquiries and will monitor the health of the poultry trade.

他呼吁市民时刻保持警觉，加强个人卫生，防范禽流感。

He urged the public to stay alert to step up personal hygiene to prevent avian flu.

(完)

(END)http://74.125.93.104/translate_c?hl=...vkFKUK18QaNG1w

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Vaccine issue is not new. H5N2 vaccine was made 10 years ago

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07...K_Vaccine.html

I assumed that the poultry vaccine was constantly being reformulated to match the most current expected strain, just as is done for humans.

Couldn't they use an H5N3 or H5Nx?

Is there a finite end to the poultry vaccination strategy?
(my memory of 2+ years ago has a foggy memory of something different about poultry vaccines as compared to human)

.

[HenryN]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12100801/H5N1_HK_Vaccine_Failure.html

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Hong Kong reports bird flu outbreak

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12...e_Failure.html

Commentary

Hong Kong H5N1 Outbreak Signals Vaccine Failure
Recombinomics Commentary 13:59
December 10, 2008

SAR's biggest chicken farms - Fung Kong Tsuen in Yuen Long - revealed that 200 of its birds had dropped dead.

A number of the dead chickens had been inoculated against the flu, sparking concerns over the efficacy of the vaccine and a possible mutation of the virus.

The above comments regarding the H5N1 outbreak on a large Hong Kong farm again raises concerns of a vaccine failure. These concerns were raised over the summer when H5N1 was detected in a number of live markets in Hong Kong (see updated map). The vaccine in use in Hong Kong is directed against low path H5N2 in circulation 10 years ago, and has been losing effectiveness as H5N1 evolves.

A large number of H5N1 sequences from the 2007/2008 outbreak in wild birds in Hong Kong have been released (see list here here here here here) and these sequences are two Fujian sub-clades (2.3.2 and 2.3.4) in HA although the other seven gene segments are largely 2.3.4. Human cases have been reported in Shenzhen and Guangdong and those sequences were 2.3.4. However, the HA 2.3.2 sequences migrated to the north last spring and were found in whooper swans in Japan as well as outbreaks in South Korea and Russia. A culler/soldier in South Korea was symptomatic and was H5 PCR confirmed, although South Korea denied that he was H5N1 infected (but he promptly recovered after treatment with Tamiflu).

The presence of H5N1 in vaccinated flocks on a farm in Hong Kong, as well as wet markets in Hong Kong during the summer, raises concerns that H5N1 is evading the outdated vaccine, and may be circulating at low levels due to partial immunity in vaccinated flocks.

Release of sequence data from the H5N1 outbreaks over the summer, as well as the current outbreak, would be useful.


.