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The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (June 16) that H5N1 virus was detected from a faecal swab sample collected from a Daurian Starling at a pet bird shop in the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden (Bird Garden) in Mong Kok.
The faecal swab sample was collected on June 4 for laboratory tests with other swab samples under AFCD's routine avian influenza surveillance programme. Over the past few months, all departments concerned have stepped up surveillance in Sham Shui Po and Mong Kok areas, in view of a spate of dead birds found H5N1 positive there.
As a precautionary measure, AFCD has temporarily closed the shop in question and removed all its birds, including the Daurian Starling, to the Departmentˇ¦s animal management centre in Sheung Shui for close observation and further testing.
Pet bird stalls in the Bird Garden are being closely monitored for avian influenza among the flocks. So far nothing abnormal has been detected.
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. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will step up cleansing of the Bird Garden. To facilitate thorough cleansing and disinfection of the stalls, the Bird Garden will be temporarily closed. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will also enhance street cleansing in the vicinity of the Bird Garden.
In addition, AFCD staff would inspect all the stalls and collect swab samples on a daily basis.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has put all stall operators and workers under medical surveillance.
The AFCD spokesman said that the Department collected more than 200 swab samples each month from pet bird stalls across the territory, including those at the Bird Garden, to test for avian flu viruses.
More than 1,300 swab samples have been collected from the stalls so far this year. Of the 3,000 samples that were tested last year, none was positive for avian influenza.
The CHP has set up a hotline (2125 1122) to provide health advice to the public who might have recently visited pet bird shops located in the Bird Garden and had close contact with birds in the area. The hotline will operate until 10 pm today and 9 am to 5 pm from tomorrow onwards. They are advised to seek medical advice from the nearest public hospital as soon as possible if they develop respiratory symptoms.
The spokesman reminded the public to observe personal and environmental hygiene.
"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 spokesman also reminded the public not to release their pet birds. "If they want to abandon their birds, they can call 1823, the Government hotline, to contact AFCD for assistance," he said.
Ends/Saturday, June 16, 2007
Issued at HKT 21:40
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