Bird flu threat has eased, says health chief
The government has lowered Hong Kong's influenza pandemic response level from "serious" to "alert" as the H7N9 bird flu outbreak has eased.
The government has lowered Hong Kong's influenza pandemic response level from "serious" to "alert" as the H7N9 bird flu outbreak has eased.
The serious level - second on a three-level scale of which the top rank is "emergency" - had been in place since December when the first human infection was confirmed in Hong Kong.
Since then, Hong Kong has had 10 H7N9 cases, all resulting from infection on the mainland.
The H7N9 epidemic on the mainland has also eased, with infrequent reports of cases recently.
Ko said a facility being prepared in Ta Kwu Ling as a temporary quarantine site for local poultry would be ready next week, but the exact date for mainland live poultry imports to resume had yet to be announced by mainland authorities.