Hong Kong - Blue Magpie tested for avian flu

[MHSC]

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</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="496">Blue Magpie tested for avian flu

</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="theme_text" align="left" valign="top"> Preliminary testing of a Blue Magpie found in Sham Shui Po has indicated a suspected case of H5 avian flu, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department says. More tests are underway.

Department staff collected the bird's carcass from the ground floor of North Kowloon Magistracy, Tai Po Road, on February 6.

To prevent catching bird flu, people must observe good personal hygiene. They should avoid contact with wild birds and live poultry and wash their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them. More health tips are available here.
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http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/070208/txt/070208en05004.htm

 

[yielddude]

Re: Hong Kong - Blue Magpie tested for avian flu

10/02/07 14h19 GMT

AFP News brief
Hong Kong bird tests positive for H5N1 Send by e-mail Save Print Tests on a blue magpie found dead in Hong Kong have shown it was infected with the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, the government said.

The bird was found in the densely populated Sham Shui Po district on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said in a statement Saturday, saying the virus had been confirmed after a series of tests.

Hong Kong was the scene of the world's first reported major bird flu outbreak among humans in 1997, when six people died of a then unknown mutation of the avian flu virus. Millions of poultry were culled.

The statement also said that initial tests on a silver-eared Masias found dead in the city show it was infected with bird flu, but the less virulent H5 strain.

The bird was found in the Mong Kok district on Wednesday.

Officials Saturday inspected stalls in the area's Bird Garden and found nothing unusual, the statement added.

Seven birds have been found dead with H5N1 in Hong Kong so far this year.

The H5N1 strain is potentially deadly to humans. Bird flu has killed more than 160 people worldwide since late 2003 and there are fears it could mutate and trigger a deadly human flu pandemic.

http://www.france24.com/france24Pub...p-news.html?id=070210141840.0vsumx9m&cat=null

 

[yielddude]

Re: Hong Kong - Blue Magpie tested for avian flu

2 birds tested for H5 virus

Preliminary testing of two silver-eared mesias found dead in Mong Kok has indicated a suspected case of H5 avian flu, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department says.

The carcasses were collected by department staff at 101 - 109 Boundary Street following a public referral on February 7.

Stalls in the Bird Garden in Mong Kok were inspected today and no problems were found. The department will keep close surveillance of pet bird stalls in the garden.

As for a suspected case involving a dead blue magpie found in Sham Shui Po earlier, the bird was confirmed to have H5N1.

People should observe good personal hygiene. They should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and clean hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them. For more health tips, click here.

http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/070210/html/070210en05001.htm

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Hong Kong - Blue Magpie tested for avian flu

Looking for their diet, the closest reference is to the Formosan Blue Magpie:

Diet

Its food is similar to that of others in the genus, taking a wide range of fruits and seeds, insects and other invertebrates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formosan_Blue_Magpie#Diet

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