Hong Kong suspends poultry imports from Taiwan

Hong Kong has suspended imports of poultry and live birds from Taiwan in view of the avian flu positive test of some chickens there, health and agricultural officials said here Friday.
"This is a precautionary measure," an official said in a statement, adding that Hong Kong medical authorities are seeking more information on Taiwan's recent avian flu cases.
According to local reports, a farm in Taiwan killed 20,000 chickens Thursday after some of the chickens tested positive for avian flu.
The sick chickens had the H5N2, the virus similar to the more severe H5N1 virus, which has killed millions of birds in Vietnam, Japan and South Korea recently. At least three people in Vietnam have died from the virus this year.
In a relevant development, Hong Kong Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Yeoh Eng-kiong said Thursday that Hong Kong has less chance of avian flu outbreak because of its active surveillance programs for avian flu in Hong Kong's markets and farms.
Hong Kong has been watchful for any outbreaks of bird flu sinceH5N1 crossed over from poultry to humans in 1997, killing six people and prompting the government to slaughter 1.4 million chickens.