HONG KONG NEWS ITEMS

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    http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11& art_id=10432&sid=6323690&con_type=1 
Evacuation of estates likely in flu outbreak 

The Housing Department has raised the specter of forced evacuation and quarantine should any public housing resident be infected with the H5N1 virus which reappeared in Hong Kong earlier this month after a year's absence. 

Andrea Chiu 

Saturday, January 21, 2006

The Housing Department has raised the specter of forced evacuation and quarantine should any public housing resident be infected with the H5N1 virus which reappeared in Hong Kong earlier this month after a year's absence. 
But an evacuation will only occur in an emergency situation, according to a department spokeswoman Friday. However, she declined to say what will be considered an emergency. 
She said the department is strengthening preventative measures on estate property and is in close liaison with the health department. 
The alarm was raised earlier this week when a dead Oriental magpie robin found in Tai Po had tested positive for the H5N1 virus. Deputy Director of Housing Lau Kai-hung said there were 30 blackspots in 17 public estates where wild birds and pigeons gather. 
In November, the department banned tenants from feeding wild birds, music also blared from loudspeakers aimed at keeping the birds away. 
"The droppings of feral pigeons may help spread harmful germs," Lau said at the time. "The safest and most effective, economical and humane way to minimize the congregation of pigeons is to avoid feeding them." 
Tenants found violating these hygiene measures face a HK$1,500 fine and five demerit points under the Marking Scheme for Tenancy Enforcement. The strict measures are the result of lessons learned during the 2003 SARS outbreak. 
Amoy Gardens housing estate in Kowloon Bay was devastated by the disease, accounting for 329 of 1,800 SARS cases in the territory. Block E was the epicenter where 200 residents fell ill and 42 died from the disease. 
The sewage system and powerful exhaust fans are suspected to have spread the deadly virus through the building. 
Also Friday, inspectors scoured bird markets and poultry farms for clues as to how the robin became infected with the virus. They also searched the Tai Po area where the bird was found. 
As it was an Oriental magpie robin, native to Hong Kong, and not a migratory bird, there are fears there could be a hidden source of transmission. Officials, however, called for calm. 
"The recent avian flu outbreak among birds and poultry in the region is a cause for concern," Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Carrie Yau said. "However, there's no evidence to date to suggest the H5N1 virus is capable of efficient human-to- human transmission." 
Health chief York Chow said the main objective is to find out with what other birds the magpie robin may have come into contact. 
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said it will strengthen inspection procedures at places such as Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, which officers visit daily, as well as live poultry markets. 
Authorities are also considering legislation that will require licenses for backyard poultry, Chow said. 
"What's most important is to separate domestic poultry from wild birds to prevent any contact," he said. 
Chow expects a draft bill to be forwarded to the Legislative Council within the year. Under the legislation, a household with 20 or more chickens will have to be licensed, he said. 
Legislator Wong Yung-kan, who represents the agriculture and fisheries sector, said he welcomed the initiative but would have to see the bill in more detail before analyzing its effect on farmers. 
Meanwhile, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Safety Markos Kyprianou stopped over in Hong Kong Friday after attending the Beijing International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza. He said he was impressed by Hong Kong's world-class facilities and avian flu preparation plans after visiting government laboratories and Princess Margaret Hospital. 
In the mainland, a 35-year-old woman in Sichuan province was the ninth confirmed case of bird flu in China and the sixth to die from the disease. 

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: HONG KONG NEWS ITEMS Posted: January 20 2006 at 10:14am
	http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11& art_id=10432&sid=6323690&con_type=1 Evacuation of estates likely in flu outbreak The Housing Department has raised the specter of forced evacuation and quarantine should any public housing resident be infected with the H5N1 virus which reappeared in Hong Kong earlier this month after a year's absence. Andrea Chiu Saturday, January 21, 2006 The Housing Department has raised the specter of forced evacuation and quarantine should any public housing resident be infected with the H5N1 virus which reappeared in Hong Kong earlier this month after a year's absence. But an evacuation will only occur in an emergency situation, according to a department spokeswoman Friday. However, she declined to say what will be considered an emergency. She said the department is strengthening preventative measures on estate property and is in close liaison with the health department. The alarm was raised earlier this week when a dead Oriental magpie robin found in Tai Po had tested positive for the H5N1 virus. Deputy Director of Housing Lau Kai-hung said there were 30 blackspots in 17 public estates where wild birds and pigeons gather. In November, the department banned tenants from feeding wild birds, music also blared from loudspeakers aimed at keeping the birds away. "The droppings of feral pigeons may help spread harmful germs," Lau said at the time. "The safest and most effective, economical and humane way to minimize the congregation of pigeons is to avoid feeding them." Tenants found violating these hygiene measures face a HK$1,500 fine and five demerit points under the Marking Scheme for Tenancy Enforcement. The strict measures are the result of lessons learned during the 2003 SARS outbreak. Amoy Gardens housing estate in Kowloon Bay was devastated by the disease, accounting for 329 of 1,800 SARS cases in the territory. Block E was the epicenter where 200 residents fell ill and 42 died from the disease. The sewage system and powerful exhaust fans are suspected to have spread the deadly virus through the building. Also Friday, inspectors scoured bird markets and poultry farms for clues as to how the robin became infected with the virus. They also searched the Tai Po area where the bird was found. As it was an Oriental magpie robin, native to Hong Kong, and not a migratory bird, there are fears there could be a hidden source of transmission. Officials, however, called for calm. "The recent avian flu outbreak among birds and poultry in the region is a cause for concern," Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Carrie Yau said. "However, there's no evidence to date to suggest the H5N1 virus is capable of efficient human-to- human transmission." Health chief York Chow said the main objective is to find out with what other birds the magpie robin may have come into contact. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said it will strengthen inspection procedures at places such as Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, which officers visit daily, as well as live poultry markets. Authorities are also considering legislation that will require licenses for backyard poultry, Chow said. "What's most important is to separate domestic poultry from wild birds to prevent any contact," he said. Chow expects a draft bill to be forwarded to the Legislative Council within the year. Under the legislation, a household with 20 or more chickens will have to be licensed, he said. Legislator Wong Yung-kan, who represents the agriculture and fisheries sector, said he welcomed the initiative but would have to see the bill in more detail before analyzing its effect on farmers. Meanwhile, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Safety Markos Kyprianou stopped over in Hong Kong Friday after attending the Beijing International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza. He said he was impressed by Hong Kong's world-class facilities and avian flu preparation plans after visiting government laboratories and Princess Margaret Hospital. In the mainland, a 35-year-old woman in Sichuan province was the ninth confirmed case of bird flu in China and the sixth to die from the disease.