HK: Dead birds tested for flu virus

[tetano]

Thirteen dead birds at Po Lam Estate in Tseung Kwan O are being examined for the deadly H7N9 virus.

This comes as Guangzhou has closed its live poultry markets for two weeks as part of efforts to halt the spread of bird flu.

Shenzhen has already closed markets after Hong Kong banned chicken farms there from sending poultry to the SAR.

Among the 13 dead birds is a red-whiskered bulbul, a common bird in Hong Kong.

A pedestrian saw the 13 birds on the pavement in Po Lam Road North and reported to police.

Two Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department staff members with protective gear put the birds in plastic bags before sterilizing the area.



But a spokesman from the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society believes there is no direct connection between the death of birds and H7N9. Red-whiskered bulbuls do not move among poultry or eat their food so there is little chance they would be affected with H7N9, he added.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Health Protection was informed of four more cases of H7N9 in the mainland.

A four-year-old girl and a 79-year-old man from Guangzhou, a 14-year-old girl from Anhui and a 46-year-old man from Hunan are being treated.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_...&sid=41595966&con_type=1&d_str=20140217&fc=10

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: HK: Dead birds tested for flu virus

Nonetheless the birds may have been infected by other HPAI strains such as H5N1. We will await laboratory diagnosis with interest.

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: HK: Dead birds tested for flu virus

<TABLE style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 200px; FONT-SIZE: 100%" class="infobox biota"><TBODY><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; FONT-SIZE: 88%" colSpan=2>Brown-eared Bulbul, Hypsipetes amaurotis</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulbul

Translation google

Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong is now more than a dead bird carcasses seized laboratory department

February 17, 2014 10:27:56 Source: China News Network 　　

BEIJING, Feb. 17, according to Hong Kong, "Wen Wei Po" reported that the Hong Kong Tseung Kwan O, a pedestrian tunnel on the 16th found the bodies of a large number of dead birds. Hong Kong department personnel arrived at the scene after the disinfection wear full protective gowns, seized a total of 13 is believed to be "Bulbul" corpse, but whether deadly bird flu H7N9 infection, still waiting for test results.
　　
Tests whether the dye to be deadly H7N9
　　
Lam Po Yan Zhi site is outside the subway floor, 8 o'clock yesterday morning, there are passers passing was surprised to find piles of dead birds scattered in the tunnel next to a trash can, because it is not unusual, and more worried about the H7N9 bird flu , hurried to the police. Police Mangjiang closed to prevent passers-by approached the scene, and notify the department sent people to deal with.
　　
Cleaners: Recently daily pick 10
　　
FEHD officers arrived at the scene, in order to prevent the virus was required to wear full protective gowns approached cautiously to 13 bird carcasses were individually placed in a black plastic bag will be transported away, and in the field sprinkled with disinfectant before leaving. According to the department, said a female worker, Kwun Tong rarely found dead birds, but recently seized nearly every day 10 bird carcasses, something unusual, but also refers to the bird carcasses will be referred to AFCD test to confirm the species and cause of death.
　　
Collective death or continued cold weather
　　
Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, General Manager Luowei Ren said, according to bird corpse photo, believed birds collective death should fall "Bulbul", and "bulbul" the same as the Bulbul class, is a common resident bird in Hong Kong, they like to live in groups, mainly eat insects or fruit plants living in urban areas and can be seen on the outskirts of their sight. He estimated that the collective result of the recent death or sustained cold weather, birds can not find food eventually died of floundering, or eat something pathogenic, but ultimately the cause of death needs to be AFCD laboratory report can be determined.
　　
罗伟仁 continued means that although the birds are infected with avian flu season, but the past is mainly infected waterfowl or migratory birds, and Bulbul are resident birds, lower the chance of infection and deadly bird flu, but can not rule out any possibilities.
　　
Another stall refers Bird Street, Mong Kok, "Bulbul" Hong Kong people familiar words, "buns crown" very "good singing mouth", many people love to buy a home listening to its sounds, some people will bought release, which store each priced at 60 Hong Kong dollars.
　　
He also pointed out that the bird is a warm tropical birds, although freezing is possible, but generally only one or two dead, fewSee the large number of deaths.

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