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Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (March 8):
Question:
As some of the carcasses of dead birds recently collected in various districts have been confirmed to be carrying H5N1 avian influenza virus, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the details of such cases in the past three months, including the species of these birds, as well as when and where the carcasses were found;
(b) whether it will consider uploading the details of such cases onto the Government web-site with daily updates for public information; and
(c) of the names and locations of the existing public and private parks where birds are kept, and the respective numbers of birds by species in each of these parks; whether these birds are segregated from humans, and whether faecal testing for avian influenza virus is conducted regularly on these birds; if such testing is conducted, of the details?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) All the confirmed cases of H5N1 are listed in the Table.
(b) The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has uploaded to its website (http://www.afcd.gov.hk/news/news_e.htm) information on all H5 positive cases of dead birds collected. The information will be updated regularly. All press releases regarding the H5 positive cases have also been put on the AFCD web site.
(c) Testing of park birds has been an integral part of AFCD's extensive avian influenza (AI) surveillance and monitoring programme for many years. A total of about 200 faecal samples from recreational parks are routinely submitted to AFCD for AI testing every month. These parks include Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) parks (including Hong Kong Park, Kowloon Park, Tuen Mun Park, Yuen Long Park, Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens), Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden and Ocean Park. In 2005, a total of 2 871 samples were tested negative for highly pathogenic H5N1 virus.
The LCSD manages four major parks, namely Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Hong Kong Park, Kowloon Park and Yuen Long Park, which together kept around 1 500 birds (including 440 in the Zoological and Botanical Gardens, 630 in Hong Kong Park, 340 in Kowloon Park and 150 in Yuen Long Park). To prevent avian influenza, the Department has temporarily closed the aviaries of these four parks since February 2, 2006 in order to completely segregate the birds and park visitors. The flamingos and cranes kept in open sheds in the Zoological and Botanical Garden, flamingos and water fowls kept in the open bird lake of Kowloon Park as well as the black-necked swans kept in the open bird lake of Hong Kong Park have all been moved to closed cages or tents to avoid contact with wild birds.
The LCSD always keeps a close watch on health of these kept birds. The senior veterinary officers of the Department also closely monitor the health conditions of the birds kept in these four gardens. During their weekly inspections of these birds, samples of bird droppings are taken and sent to AFCD for tests on avian influenza to ensure their health.
Ends/Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:45
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