Ocean Park, one of Hong Kong's favorite tourism attractions,
announced here Thursday to shut down its walk-through aviaries for
21 days after a dead bird found in the park was suspected of
infecting H5 bird flu virus.
The carcass of black-crowned night heron was collected on Monday
near the Ocean Park's popular attraction, a spokeswoman for the
park said, adding that it's necessary for the park to take
precautionary measures.
The spokeswoman said the dead bird, found in a remote, non-guest
area, was not among the collections of the aviaries and she
believed it came from the wild.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department confirmed
late Wednesday night that the dead bird was suspected of infecting
with the H5 avian influenza virus after preliminary testing.
A spokesman for the department said further confirmatory tests
were being conducted on the black-crowned night heron, a common
resident and winter visitor to Hong Kong, stressing the department
will closely monitor the situation.
Since 2005, fecal samples of the birds kept by the Ocean Park
have been submitted to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
for H5 testing as part of the overall avian influenza surveillance
program. All samples collected from the Park have tested negative
so far.
The spokesman said that the department would conduct frequent
inspections of poultry farms and the wholesale market to ensure
that proper precautions against avian influenza had been
implemented.
"The threat of avian influenza remained," the department's
spokesman said, adding "the relevant departments will remain
vigilant and continue to take preventive and control measures
against avian influenza."
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(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2008)