Twin bird flu threat

Patsy Moy
Monday, January 19, 2009

Extra beds should be set aside in New Territories hospitals to cope with the threat of a cross-border bird flu outbreak, a leading scientist warned as two more mainland cases were confirmed last night.

Hong Kong faces a twin Lunar New Year bird flu threat as millions move around the nation and sit down to traditional feasts prepared with fresh poultry, Hong Kong University microbiologist Ho Pak-leung warned.

His warning came as two new cases in the mainland were confirmed last night.

A 27-year-old woman from Jinan in Shandong province died of bird flu on Saturday and a two-year-old girl from Hunan is in critical condition with the H5N1 strain.

The latest victim, surnamed Zhang, was admitted to hospital on January 5 and died at 6.40pm on Saturday. The Shandong health authority said Zhang had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

The Ministry of Health has reported the case to authorities in Hong Kong and Macau, as well as the World Health Organization.

The girl developed symptoms on January 7 and was taken to Shanxi for medical treatment on January 11. Laboratory tests by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention proved positive for H5N1.

Investigations into her contact history are ongoing.

HKU's Ho said the combination of heavy human traffic during the holiday period and the culture of slaughtering chickens, ducks and geese for traditional dishes significantly increases the risk of bird flu contamination.

Records show that two-thirds of people who contract avian flu in the mainland do so through poultry.

Ho said more cases would surface until March when the weather changes. He also fears the virus may be imported into Hong Kong by those returning from holidays in the mainland.

"People tend to lower their vigilance at family gatherings. It is common for families in the mainland to cull live poultry during festivals and this, unfortunately, increases the risk of infection."

Ho said the government should step up public education before the holidays and the Hospital Authority should have a contingency plan to admit those suspects returning from the mainland to hospitals near the border.

"The authority should start deploying more medical staff to hospitals in the New Territories and prepare more hospital beds there."

The most recent human case of avian flu in the mainland involved a 19-year-old woman who lived in a Beijing suburb. She developed symptoms on Christmas Eve and died on January 5.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the woman, Huang Yanqing, died after buying nine ducks at a market in neighboring Hebei province.

Xinhua said 116 people had been in close contact with Huang. One of them, a nurse, had contracted a fever but recovered.

Undersecretary for Food and Health Gabriel Leung said yesterday Hong Kong will maintain close contact with mainland health authorities. Leung said the latest cases do not indicate a higher risk of infection in Hong Kong.

However, he insists the government will not increase imports of live chickens which will be maintained at around 7,000 a day regardless of demand.
hat-tip Shiloh