***************************************

A team of experts led by the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection, Dr P Y Leung, left for Bangkok today (October 12) to meet their Thailand counterparts on the current situation of avian influenza in the country.

The team will meet medical and public health professionals of the Department of Disease Control of the Ministry of Public Health as well as the Department of Livestock Development of the Ministry of Agriculture during the two-day visit.

Members of the expert team included Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, Head of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Hong Kong, Dr Thomas Tsang, Consultant of the Centre for Health Protection, Dr Howard Wong, Senior Veterinary Officer of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and Dr Chu Chung-ming, Senior Medical Officer of the Hospital Authority.

Ends/Tuesday, October 12, 2004

NNNN