Bird flu remains a threat to the community, especially ahead of the Lunar New Year, the Centre for Health Protection said last night as three more birds were confirmed to have the deadly H5N1 virus.
Community medicine consultant Thomas Tsang Ho-fai urged people not to release wild birds and for owners to surrender pet birds to the government's animal management centres for disposal if they no longer wanted them.
A Japanese white-eye found in San Po Kong, a house crow found in Lai On Estate in Sham Shui Po and a white-backed munia found near Mong Kok caged-bird market last week were confirmed to be H5N1 positive after a series of laboratory tests, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said.
They take to five the number of wild birds confirmed with H5N1 since New Year's Eve.
Experts have urged a ban on the practice of using wild birds for release in Buddhist blessing ceremonies, because imports of wild birds are the major source of bird flu infections in Hong Kong.
An inter-departmental meeting on bird flu was held yesterday to review the situation.
