Hong Kong Discovers More HPAI in Wild Birds
HONG KONG - Dr Thomas Sit, Chief Veterinary Officer, has reported another two outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Lantau and in Shek Kip Mei.
26 March 2012
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The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received Follow-up Report No. 13 on Friday, 23 March.
On 12 March, a peregrine falcon was collected at Lantau and on 15 March, a house crow was collected at Shek Kip Mei. While the former is a rare winter visitor in Hong Kong, the latter is an invasive bird species.
An intensive surveillance system is in place for all poultry farms, poultry markets and pet bird shops in Hong Kong. The H5N1 infected wild birds and goose carcass from unknown source were detected in ongoing surveillance programme on wild birds.
The dates of the outbreaks are the same as the dates the birds were collected (i.e. 17 December 2011, 30 December 2011, 1 January 2012, 12 January 2012, 20 January 2012 , 30 January 2012 , 6 February 2012, 7 February 2012, 8 February 2012, 24 February 2012, 25 February 2012, 27 February 2012, 2 March 2012, 3 March 2012, 12 March 2012 and 15 March 2012 respectively).
A total of 19,451 poultry, including 15,569 chickens, 810 pigeons, 1,950 pheasants and 1,122 silky fowls were culled in the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market on 21 December 2011. The Wholesale Poultry Market was closed. Importation of live poultry and movement of poultry in local farms is banned for 21 days.
Surveillance and monitoring of local chicken farms has been stepped up. No H5 virus was detected in samples taken from the 30 chicken farms in Hong Kong. The Wholesale Poultry Market was reopened on 12 January 2012.
Further Reading
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