A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said (July 5) that the H5N1 virus was detected on a swab sample collected from a bird cage holding an Oriental magpie robin at a pet bird shop in the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden (Bird Garden) in Mong Kok.
 
     The swab sample was collected on June 25 for laboratory tests with other swab samples under the AFCD´s routine avian influenza surveillance programme.

     The Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation has declared the pet bird shop as an infected place. The AFCD has closed the shop and removed all the birds to the Department´s animal management centre in Sheung Shui for disposal.    

     As a precautionary measure, the Bird Garden will be closed for 21 days starting today. The 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. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will also enhance street cleansing in the vicinity of the Bird Garden.  

     Pet bird stalls in the Bird Garden are being closely monitored. So far nothing abnormal has been detected. AFCD staff will step up the inspection of all the stalls and collect swab samples for testing.
 
     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has put all stall operators and workers under medical surveillance.

     The spokesman said that the AFCD collects some 300 swab samples each month from 39 pet bird stalls across the territory, including the 18 stalls at the Bird Garden, to test for avian flu viruses.

     More than 1,700 swab samples have been collected from the stalls so far this year. Of the 3,200 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. They are advised to seek medical advice as soon as possible if they develop respiratory symptoms.

    Separately, avian influenza testing on a dead house crow collected at 10 Osmanthus Road, Yau Yat Chuen, Kowloon Tong on June 29 has returned a positive result for the H5N1 virus today. Cleansing and disinfection have been stepped up at the venue.  

    The AFCD has phoned poultry farmers to remind them to strengthen precautionary and biosecurity measures against avian influenza. Letters have been issued to farmers, pet bird shop owners and licence holders of pet poultry and racing pigeons reminding them that proper precautions must be taken.

    The spokesman said the department would conduct frequent inspections of poultry farms and the wholesale market to ensure that proper precautions against avian influenza have been implemented. The department will continue its wild bird monitoring and surveillance.

    "People should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and their droppings. They should clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them. The public can call 1823 for follow-up if they come across suspicious sick or dead birds, including the carcasses of wild birds and poultry," the spokesman said.

    The FEHD will continue to be vigilant over imported live poultry as well as live poultry stalls. It will also remind stall operators to maintain good hygiene.

    The AFCD, the FEHD, the Customs and Excise Department and the Police will strive to deter the illegal import of poultry and birds into Hong Kong to minimise the risk of avian influenza outbreaks caused by imported poultry and birds that have not gone through inspection and quarantine.

    All relevant government departments will continue to remain highly vigilant and strictly enforce preventive measures against avian influenza.

    Health advice is available from the "H5N1 Health Advice" on the AFCD website at www.afcd.gov.hk/.

Ends/Thursday, July 5, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:24