Two dead birds test positive for H5 avian flu virus, Hong Kong authorities say
The virus strain does not usually infect humans but officials warn public to stay away from wild birds and live poultry
Two dead birds found at different locations in Hong Kong tested positive for the H5 avian flu virus on Friday, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said.
Further tests are being carried out to confirm the results, while both sites where the birds’ bodies were discovered have been thoroughly disinfected, according to authorities.
One of the birds was a black-faced spoonbill, a migratory species common in the mudflats of the wetland park in Tin Shui Wai.
The park, in the Deep Bay area, is a hotspot for migratory birds arriving from the north during the winter season. Black-faced spoonbills can come from as far as the Korean Peninsula and the Liaoning province in northeastern China.
Two chicken farms within 3km of the Tin Shui Wai site have been informed, but farmers have so far not reported any abnormalities in their livestock.