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The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, today (November 15) called on the public to stay vigilant against avian influenza, adding that the Government would step up monitoring to safeguard against the disease.
He made the remarks as the peak season for avian influenza outbreaks among birds will soon come with the approach of winter in Hong Kong.
Dr Chow visited Hong Kong Wetland Park and Mai Po Nature Reserve this afternoon to see the avian influenza surveillance programme of wild birds conducted by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. He also saw the collection of swab samples of wild bird droppings in Mai Po Nature Reserve.
Under the wild bird surveillance programme, swab samples are collected regularly in Mai Po Nature Reserve and the wetland park for testing for the H5 virus. More than 4,500 droppings were collected from January to September this year and all tested negative.
"Past experience shows that a large number of migrating waterfowl, which may be natural carriers of avian influenza virus, will arrive in Hong Kong and stay in the coming months, thus increasing the risk of an avian influenza outbreak. Although no abnormality has so far been found, we cannot be lax in our measures.
"The public can still enjoy the fun of bird watching if they observe good personal hygiene and avoid contact with wild birds and their droppings," Dr Chow said.
Dr Chow later went to the Tai Lung Experimental Station to learn more about the measures to help farmers in organic and greenhouse farming.
Ends/Thursday, November 15, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:25
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