Live poultry sector alert

Henan provincial health authorities announced on Sunday two confirmed cases of H7N9 virus infection in humans, while Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu reported nine new cases, increasing the nationwide total to 60 with 13 fatalities. Meanwhile, Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man called on the local poultry sector to gear up preventive measures but said the government will not ban live poultry at this moment.

Hong Kong is a favorite stop for many migrant birds that may carry the H7N9 virus. People working in the live poultry sector are a high-risk crowd when it comes to bird flu. Relevant authorities should ensure they are well aware of the possibility of an H7N9 bird flu outbreak and take all preventive measures necessary, such as wearing face masks and gloves. It is also necessary to ban live poultry import as soon as the H7N9 virus is found on newly arrived birds.

The H7N9 infection cases among humans in Beijing and Henan suggest the deadly virus is spreading, although the confirmed cases so far are all isolated and no evidence has been found of human-to-human infection. Given the possibility of the H7N9 virus being transported by migrant birds and/or live poultry and the fact that Hong Kong is a stop for many migrant birds, we have good reason to be on high alert against the spread of the new bird flu.

Researchers are still trying to trace the H7N9 virus to its origins, with wild birds and poultry farms as main suspects. The fact that some of the patients on the mainland had direct contact with live poultry before being diagnosed with H7N9 infection, including those engaged in live poultry sales and transportation, is further reason to treat the poultry supply sector as a high-risk environment.

All departments concerned must follow the development of the H7N9 infection on the mainland closely and the search for its origins so as to prevent its spread here in a timely fashion. Right now preventive efforts should be focused on risk-management at poultry farms and street markets where live birds are sold to protect those working there by preventing infection through direct contact with sick birds.

This is an excerpted translation of a Wen Wei Po editorial published on April 15.

(HK Edition 04/16/2013 page1)