SITREP - WHO | 2001 - Isolation of influenza A(H5N1) virus in poultry in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China

2001 - Isolation of influenza A(H5N1) virus in poultry in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China

18 May 2001

Disease Outbreak Reported

There has been an increase in the number of deaths of poultry from influenza A(H5N1) virus in
additional retail live-bird poultry markets (see previous report) in Hong Kong SAR.

As a result, the Government of Hong Kong SAR has announced that all wholesale and retail markets
selling chickens will be closed and the birds will be destroyed. Retail outlets for live chickens will
remain closed for 4 weeks. Farms with live chickens ready for slaughter will be depopulated within the next
two weeks. Importation of chickens from the Mainland has been stopped.

No human cases of influenza A(H5N1) virus have been detected. The strains isolated from the birds
differ genetically from the H5N1 virus which caused human disease in 1997. There is no cause for
public health concern.

Click on the website of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
for further information.

WHO 2001 - Isolation of influenza A(H5N1) virus in poultry in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China