Hong Kong disinfects markets after bird flu scare
HONG KONG, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Hong Kong health workers disinfected two wholesale food markets on Wednesday following the discovery of a dead wild bird suspected to have died from bird flu.
The bird was found on Sunday at the Cheung Sha Wan wholesale food market in west Kowloon, which is near a temporary wholesale poultry market.
"We will step up inspections and surveillance of the wholesale poultry market and remind wholesalers to maintain good hygiene to ensure that proper precautions against avian influenza have been implemented," a spokesperson for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said.
Further tests were being conducted on the Magpie Robin, a wild bird resident in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong detected 21 birds with the H5N1 virus last year and three birds so far this year.
Although birdflu remains mainly an animal disease, experts fear the virus could mutate into a form that spreads easily among humans and kill millions.
In recent weeks, the discovery of H5N1 infected dead birds have forced the closure of Hong Kong's world famous Mai Po bird reserve and aviaries at the popular Ocean Park theme park.
(Reporting by James Pomfret; Editing by Nick Macfie)
