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Hong Kong Health Director Says Human Bird Flu Risk Rising

Posted on: Saturday, 4 March 2006, 09:00 CST

Text of report by Radio TV Hong Kong Radio 3 audio website on 4 March

[Newsreader] The director of health, Lam ping-yan, says the risk of human infections of avian flu has increased. His warning came soon after mainland authorities suspected a 32-year-old, who died on Thursday [2 March], had contracted the disease. Amy Orr reports:

[Orr] Despite the latest case being only a suspected one, Mr Lam admitted, given the close proximity, the risk of human infections of avian flu was on the rise

. He said officials might have to ask travellers using border checkpoints to declare their health condition, if the case is confirmed. And, for the time being, the administration will step up education and continue with the temperature screening for all inbound travellers at checkpoints. The Centre for Health protection says it will maintain close liaison with mainland health officials on the matter. It has also asked members of the public to observe good hygiene. Meanwhile, initial investigations by the mainland health authorities show that the 32- year-old man had conducted several market researches at Guangzhou's poultry market before coming down with pneumonia and fever on 22 February. It also said the patient had spent quite some time at an area where chickens were culled.

Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile

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