Hong Kong - H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces

[Sally Furniss]

H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces in HK

http://english.people.com.cn/200706/17/eng20070617_385092.html

H5N1 virus was found in a faecal sample collected from a pet bird shop in the Bird Garden in Mong Kok, Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said Saturday.

As a precautionary measure, AFCD has temporarily closed the shop in question and removed all its birds, to the Department's animal management center for close observation and further testing, but no other positive cases were detected.

All pet bird stalls in the Bird Garden are being closely monitored for avian influenza among the flocks. So far nothing abnormal has been detected, according to the department.

In response to the incident, AFCD has required all pet bird shop operators in the Bird Garden to undertake a thorough cleansing of their stalls. In addition, AFCD staff would inspect all the stalls and collect swab samples on a daily basis.

Source: Xinhua

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces in HK

Re: H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces in HK

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HKG209047.htm

HONG KONG, June 17 (Reuters) - Hong Kong is keeping a close watch on pet shops after finding the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in the faeces of a daurian starling in a city store.

In a statement issued late on Saturday, the Hong Kong government said it had closed the petshop in the Mong Kok district, put a cluster of nearby bird shops under strict surveillance, and ordered them to undergo cleansing.

The infected bird was still alive and had been taken for further tests at a government animal management centre, a government spokesman said.

Authorities collected the infected sample on June 4 under a routine avian influenza surveillance programme. Hong Kong has found bird flu in 16 wild birds this year.

Bird flu re-emerged in Hong Kong in 2003, and although there have been no human fatalities in the city, the virus has since killed 191 people around the world out of 313 known cases.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces in HK

Re: H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces in HK

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21920132-1702,00.html

A BIRD market in Hong Kong has been closed down amid fears of an avian flu outbreak after a starling tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of the disease.
Authorities said late Saturday the market, a popular tourist attraction, would be shut temporarily for thorough cleansing and disinfection and workers placed under medical surveillance.

All the birds at the pet shop where the starling was found have been taken away for testing.
Infectious diseases expert Lo Wing-Lok said the market was a "smoking gun.''

Around 60 percent of the H5 flu samples found in Hong Kong this year were discovered near the market, he told the South China Morning Post.

Hong Kong was the scene of the world's first reported major bird flu outbreak among humans in 1997, when six people died.

Authorities said they had stepped up their surveillance of the area surrounding the market after several birds found dead tested positive for the deadly flu strain.

A health department spokesman warned the public to be on alert.

"They should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them,'' he said.

The department has set up a hotline to provide health advice to anyone who has visited the market, popularly known as the Bird Garden, or had close contact with birds in the area.

It advised anyone who developed respiratory symptoms to seek medical advice from the nearest public hospital as soon as possible.

More than a dozen wild birds have been found dead in Hong Kong this year with H5N1, which has killed almost 200 people and ravaged poultry flocks worldwide since 2003.

Migratory birds have been blamed for the global spread of the disease.

World Health Organisation experts say a bird flu pandemic among humans would kill millions worldwide.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Hong Kong - H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces

Hong Kong Closes Bird Market After Finding Avian Flu (Update1)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aV2Grpl4kxBc&refer=home

By Hanny Wan

June 17 (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong ``temporarily'' closed the city's bird market after finding the H5N1 virus in a starling in a shop there, the government said.

Officials detected the virus in a fecal swab sample taken from a Daurian Starling in the bird market on June 4, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department said in a statement released late yesterday.

Yuen Po Street Bird Garden will remain closed while stalls are disinfected, the department said. The market, a popular tourist destination in the city's Mongkok district, is packed with shops selling pet birds, as well cages, live crickets and other accessories.

The department removed all the birds in the shop where the starling was found, and will collect swab samples daily when the market reopens. Stall owners and employees are all under medical surveillance, the statement said. No date was given for the reopening of the market.

Vietnam reported yesterday its first human death from bird flu since November 2005, Agence France-Presse said, citing the nation's state television.

As of June 12, 190 people worldwide have died of avian influenza since December 2003, according to the World Health Organization.

To contact the reporter on this story: Hanny Wan in Hong Kong at hwan3@bloomberg.net

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Hong Kong - H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces

Hong Kong watches pet shops after finding bird flu

17 Jun 2007 04:16:59 GMT
<!-- 17 Jun 2007 04:16:59 GMT ## for search indexer, do not remove-->Source: Reuters

HONG KONG, June 17 (Reuters) - Hong Kong is keeping a close watch on pet shops after finding the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in the faeces of a daurian starling in a city store.


In a statement issued late on Saturday, the Hong Kong government said it had closed the petshop in the Mong Kok district, put a cluster of nearby bird shops under strict surveillance, and ordered them to undergo cleansing.


The infected bird was still alive and had been taken for further tests at a government animal management centre, a government spokesman said.

Authorities collected the infected sample on June 4 under a routine avian influenza surveillance programme. Hong Kong has found bird flu in 16 wild birds this year.


Bird flu re-emerged in Hong Kong in 2003, and although there have been no human fatalities in the city, the virus has since killed 191 people around the world out of 313 known cases.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HKG209047.htm

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Hong Kong - H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/latestnews/46941.htm

The Hong Kong government closed a pet bird market Sunday after a bird there was found to be carrying the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus strain.

A routine bird flu surveillance program detected H5N1 in a fecal swab sample from a live Daurian starling, the government said in a statement issued Saturday night.

The statement said the swab sample was collected June 4 at a pet bird shop in downtown Hong Kong's bird garden, where about 70 shops sell pet birds and related products.

All birds at the shop involved were removed, the statement said. It did not say what would be done with them.

The detection of the virus comes amid a spate of bird deaths from it in the area.

Hong Kong's administration has ordered a closure, until further notice, of all the pet bird shops in the bird garden for cleansing and disinfection, the statement said.

All stall vendors and workers have also been put under medical surveillance, it said, without giving details.

The territory tests more than 200 swab samples from pet bird shops for avian flu viruses each month. None of the 3,000 samples collected last year were reported positive.

Hong Kong aggressively tests for bird flu following a 1997 outbreak when the disease jumped to humans and killed six people in the territory.

The situation prompted the government to slaughter Hong Kong's entire known poultry population of about 1.5 million birds.

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Hong Kong - H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces

Hong Kong Bird Street late avian flu

请看博讯热点：禽流感​

Look at ABC hot : The avian flu

(<SMALL>博讯北京时间2007年6月17日转载</SMALL>)​

<SMALL>(ABC Beijing time on June 17, 2007 reproduced)</SMALL>

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Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po

记者​

Reporter Jing Luo Wen, Mr Fu-keung, Gloria Pan Chung / avian bird flu invasion Mong Kok Park (commonly known as the Bird Street). Placed full closure of disinfection. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department found that one in two weeks ago in which a bird Street shop unless North migratory birds, starlings, In testing stool samples, we found that the H5N1 avian flu positive, but not the incidence.Authorities had been more than 300 shops only remaining decorative birds isolation and observation, and the entire Bird Street closed for at least a few days, and urged members of the public in the past few days to Bird Street, should pay attention to health. Some scholars worry that the disease has spread other birds, the SAR government should complete elimination of the Bird Street bAFCD and the CHP last night held an emergency press conference, the AFCD Assistant Director Dr Thomas Sit said, Administration this month on the 4th of birds in the park routine spot checks, found that the parks within the first 48 to 49, entitled "Prosperity" has shops selling North migratory birds, starlings, stopped testing stool samples, and the laboratory report yesterday morning 10:00 completed, found faecal samples of the H5N1 avian flu was positive, but the North has yet to take the bird disease, the seemingly good health.

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AFCD staff at Bird Street scene, in shops and the North take the bird away. and other decorative birds of a total of more than 300 birds, transfer to the New Territories North Animal Control center for further examination. Dr Sit said that through rapid tested more than 18 samples of birds in the shop, the H5N1 avian flu were negative, giving two shops will be testing more than 200 remaining only birds and Bird Street today to offer to suspend business for disinfection.

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No further tests today and tomorrow infection

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Bird Street in the North take the virus bird is placed by the customer unless shops are independent in the bird cage rearing, We do not yet know whether the birds in the wild to be arrested. Dr Sit said, have stepped up patrol Bird Street shops, no abnormality was detected. AFCD has asked all shopkeepers to conduct thorough cleaning, the department will step up cleaning, the department will step up cleaning of the streets. Meanwhile, the authorities appealed to the public in the past few days to Bird Street, should pay attention to health.

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CHP set up hotline for inquiries

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CHP Chief Jeff doctors said, CHP has been monitoring Bird Street all the owners and workers of the state of health, and the establishment of the hotline 2125 1122 to provide members of the public health advice.

1,300个。​

AFCD monthly bird shops in the territory, taking more than 200 samples for testing of avian influenza virus, This year, the shops of the faecal samples collected more than 1, 300. As for the three tests last year, 000 samples were of the avian flu virus were negative.

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Worry doctors advocate the spread of the virus and kill the birds

Infectious diseases specialist Dr Lo Wing-lok said that the infected birds in North starlings incubation period, have not yet developed the disease. does not mean that the avian flu virus might increase, in the past was also found to have the virus in birds did not die. depending on whether the incidence living environment.

博讯 boxun.com)​

He worries that the migratory birds and other birds had been kept together : "the possibility of the virus eventually spread to other birds, Therefore, the Administration should destroy all the birds in the area, to a chicken farm contaminated by bird flu, must kill chickens for the sake of their safety. "_ (net 418) (ABC boxun.com)irds. http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?h...com/news/gb/taiwan/2007/06/200706170850.shtml

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Hong Kong - H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces

Birds in Hong Kong Park was the H5N1 avian flu birds (Picture)
<SMALL>(ABC Beijing time on June 17, 2007 reproduced)</SMALL>

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Bird Park will be closed for several days to clean Source : Hong Kong's Ta Kung Pao

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There again to a birds found with H5N1 avian flu virus. AFCD and the CHP announced the evening of 16, June 4 in Mong Kok Yuen Po Street Bird Garden for the sale of a number of testing the faecal samples of birds, North starlings found a bird droppings on the H5N1 virus were positive.

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According to Hong Kong's Ta Kung Pao reported, the AFCD found only in the North take the bird with the H5N1 virus, Bird Park has more than 300 birds moved to the North bird control center for further observation and testing, and in a few days starting today to close parks, and the department to carry out cleansing, The department will step up cleaning of the streets near the park, until satisfied with the decision of the reopened park. CHP has been deployed to inspect the park owner and the health status of the company staff, and will continue to closely monitor.

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AFCD Assistant Director Xuehanzhong said, the testing 18 samples of bird feces, all were negative. The Department has continued on the 16th to take additional samples for detailed examination. As for the birds, starlings although North was found with the H5N1 virus, but until the 16th, his state of health remains good.

卫生防​

CHP consultant Penny Zhang appealed to contact birds, respiratory infection and the emergence of symptoms should seek medical advice as soon as possible. She reminded the public not to let birds, if they do not want to feed the birds can call the hotline to contact the AFCD.Announced on the 16th of the cases are found in this year's first 16 cases of H5N1 avian flu.

Chairman of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society Becky estimated that the infected birds, starlings north of imported birds, Because North take the bird in the summer and winter are not going to come to Hong Kong. He said that fewer people feeding birds, starlings North.:tiphat: http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?h...com/news/gb/taiwan/2007/06/200706172141.shtml

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Hong Kong - H5N1 virus detected from bird faeces

Race to find owner of H5N1 bird

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=47091&sid=14106846&con_type=1

Carol Chung and Emily Wu

Monday, June 18, 2007

Officials of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department are trying to track down the owner of a bird after H5N1 virus was found in its droppings.

The bird - a Daurian starling - was left at a Mong Kok pet shop on Yuen Po Street, commonly known as "Bird Street," two week ago, but it is not known whether it was intended for sale.

Infectious diseases expert Lo Wing- lok said it is "very important" the owner of the bird, which is migratory by nature, be located.

"He or she may already have been infected, and the situation could get worse if medical treatment is delayed. People in contact with the person are also at risk. Tracking down this person holds the key to finding the source of the virus," Lo said.

Chung Ho-fai, chairman of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, said the sale of wild birds must be banned following the recent spate of avian flu cases detected among such birds in Hong Kong.

Bird flu is blamed for the deaths of 157 people worldwide since 2003. Most victims had direct contact with poultry. Scientists have repeatedly warned of a global pandemic, resulting in the deaths of millions of people, if the deadly avian virus mutates, making transmission possible between humans.

The virus jumped to infect humans in Hong Kong in 1997, killing six of the 18 people infected and prompting the authorities to cull more than two million fowl.

The latest H5N1 scare at a shop called Indonesia resulted in an order for all pet shops on Yuen Po Street to close.

About 300 birds from the affected shop have been taken to the AFCD's animal management center in Sheung Shui for tests and observation. The fecal sample taken from the Daurian starling June 4 was part of the department's routine bird-flu surveillance program.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department is cleaning stalls on the street.

The Centre for Health Protection under the Department of Health has set up a hotline - 2125 1122 - for the public. The center is closely monitoring the health of stall operators as well as workers.

A woman surnamed Law, who has been selling grasshoppers - a bird food - on the street, said the order to close has driven her out of business.

"We're not allowed to go inside. The gate has been locked. Usually, I can earn about HK$1,000 to HK$2,000 a day. There's hardly any business today [Sunday]," Law said.

She said it was not a matter of being scared of H5N1 but she had to make a living. "I always wear a pair of gloves and wash my hands. I believe it can help lower the chance of getting infected," Law said.

Another bird-food vendor surnamed Cheng said her business has also been badly hit. "I have been busy cleaning my stall. I just wonder how long our stalls will have to remain closed."

Another vendor said she used to sell bird food to her regular customers. "I earn a few hundred dollars a day. That helps a bit or else I can't imagine how I can sustain my living."

Visitors to "Bird Street" were also disappointed by the closure. The Wong family who traveled to Mong Kok from Chai Wan, hoping to buy an oriole as a Father's Day present, said there should not be any cause for alarm.

"I believe the government can handle the matter well. I'm not worried about the spread of the H5N1 virus in Hong Kong," Mrs Wong said.

However, others said they were quite concerned about the possible spread of the virus in the territory.

A woman, who was shopping with her boyfriend at the flower market opposite the pet shops, said: " I came today trying to get a Father's Day present. I will try to avoid going near Bird Street."