Sally Furniss
Well-known member
HK sanctuary closed after bird dies of avian flu
Hong Kong authorities closed a popular bird sanctuary to the public for three weeks starting Friday after a dead bird discovered there tested positive for avian flu.
The closure of Mai Po Nature Reserve comes amid a recent outbreak of bird flu in Hong Kong. Authorities are trying to determine whether infected dead birds found in the territory were linked to mainland China, where five people have died from a virulent strain of the virus this year.
The government said late Thursday it decided to shutter the reserve as a precautionary measure after officials discovered a dead gray heron on its grounds Monday.
The bird tested positive for avian flu, though further tests were needed to determine if it was carrying the deadliest strain of the virus, known as H5N1.
Meanwhile, the government said that dead ducks discovered elsewhere in Hong Kong had tested positive for H5N1, raising the total number of recent cases to four. <!-- today in links -->
Hong Kong's health chief York Chow said late Thursday that he suspects many of the dead birds drifted into Hong Kong waters from the nearby Pearl River Delta in mainland China.
The deadly H5N1 strain has killed at least 254 people worldwide since 2003, most through contact with sick birds. Scientists are monitoring the virus because of its potential to mutate into a new human influenza virus, which could infect millions.
Several other strains of avian flu circulate in bird populations, but pose little danger to humans.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/02/06/asia/AS-Hong-Kong-Bird-Flu.php
Hong Kong authorities closed a popular bird sanctuary to the public for three weeks starting Friday after a dead bird discovered there tested positive for avian flu.
The closure of Mai Po Nature Reserve comes amid a recent outbreak of bird flu in Hong Kong. Authorities are trying to determine whether infected dead birds found in the territory were linked to mainland China, where five people have died from a virulent strain of the virus this year.
The government said late Thursday it decided to shutter the reserve as a precautionary measure after officials discovered a dead gray heron on its grounds Monday.
The bird tested positive for avian flu, though further tests were needed to determine if it was carrying the deadliest strain of the virus, known as H5N1.
Meanwhile, the government said that dead ducks discovered elsewhere in Hong Kong had tested positive for H5N1, raising the total number of recent cases to four. <!-- today in links -->
Hong Kong's health chief York Chow said late Thursday that he suspects many of the dead birds drifted into Hong Kong waters from the nearby Pearl River Delta in mainland China.
The deadly H5N1 strain has killed at least 254 people worldwide since 2003, most through contact with sick birds. Scientists are monitoring the virus because of its potential to mutate into a new human influenza virus, which could infect millions.
Several other strains of avian flu circulate in bird populations, but pose little danger to humans.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/02/06/asia/AS-Hong-Kong-Bird-Flu.php
