HONG KONG, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Hong Kong health authorities said on Tuesday they would cull 80,000 chickens after a batch of chickens were confirmed to have the H5 birdflu virus. The H5 birdflu strain is a low pathogenic avian influenza. Experts fear the more deadly H5N1 strain, which remains mainly an animal disease but has infected humans, could mutate to a form that spreads easily among people. Hong Kong's Health Secretary York Chow said the affected farm was in Hong Kong's northern Yuen Long district near the border with China, which reported the unusual deaths of 60 chickens on Monday. "After a series of tests, we have confirmed this morning that the chickens died from the H5 virus," Chow told reporters, adding three dead chickens were tested and 20 faeces samples were taken. Chow also said that he had raised the alert status of avian flu to "serious" with immediate effect. He said all 80,000 chickens within a 3 km radius of the farm would be destroyed. The last outbreak at a Hong Kong farm occurred in early 2003, Chow added
hat-tip Dutchy for the link
hat-tip Dutchy for the link
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