Hong Kong confirms H5N1strain found in dead bird

HONG KONG (XFN-ASIA) – An agricultural official said a dead bird found in Hong Kong was infected with the fatal H5N1 strain of bird flu, the second bird in the territory to test positive for the virus this year.

The crested goshawk was discovered on January 9 and a spokesman for the agricultural department urged the public to remain vigilant about the dangers posed by avian flu.

Earlier this month, authorities confirmed that a wild bird found in a busy downtown shopping area of the southern Chinese territory was also carrying the virus.

The city has been on high alert, with authorities stepping up checks at the border with China, where flu-infected birds were smuggled in last year, sparking the first outbreak of H5N1 among local birds in years.

afp