Suspected bird flu case investigated
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-06-14 21:06
HK bird flu experts head for Shenzhen
Hong Kong
medical and veterinary experts will go to its neighboring city of Shenzhen in
south China's Guangdong Province to gather more information on the human case of
avian influenza there, a Hong Kong official said Wednesday.
Hong Kong
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow said the case is worrying and
could see the suspension of live mainland chicken imports for three weeks if
confirmed.
He added that what concerns health authorities most is that
the patient has no specific history of close contact with poultry, similar to
two previous cases in Shanghai and Guangdong. Repeated cases on the mainland may
mean there might be some "silent infections" among poultry, which might carry
the virus while not showing symptoms.
Chow assured that Hong Kong has
all the tools and mechanism to detect human avian flu and contain it.
"We should not panic, but at the same time we should be cautious," said
Chow.
The Hong Kong delegation will discuss the case with the mainland
officials later Wednesday, and share information on epidemiological, laboratory
and animal investigation findings, as well as clinical treatment of the case.
Hong Kong Department of Health will continue temperature checks at
boundary checkpoints, and accidents and emergency wards have been reminded to
step up monitoring of unknown sources of pneumonia.
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