Hong Kong decided to suspend the import of live poultry from
neighboring
Guangdong Province starting from Sunday night after receiving a
notification by the Ministry of Health on a confirmed case of human
infection of H5N1 avian influenza virus in Guangzhou, Guangdong's
capital.
A spokesman for the Hong Kong Health, Welfare and Food Bureau
said that the bureau had discussed with the State General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine on
adjusting the arrangement of live poultry and birds supply to Hong
Kong.
Hong Kong government decided to suspend the supply of live
poultry and pet birds from the Guangdong Province for three weeks
to allow the relevant authorities to conduct comprehensive
investigations though there was no avian influenza outbreak in
Guangdong so far.
According to the spokesman, if it is confirmed that there has
been no additional human infection case and that there is no
outbreak of avian influenza in live poultry farms in Guangdong, the
supply of live poultry and birds will be resumed.
(CRI March 6, 2006)
