H7N9 virus found in imported chickens: Government plans to separate poultry for testing

THE deadly H7N9 virus has been detected in live poultry importedfrom Foshan (佛山) in Guangdong (廣東) at Cheung Sha Wan (長沙灣) wholesale market. This meant that 20,000 chickens at the poultry market had to be culled a few days before Lunar New Year. It took 12 hours to complete the cull.  The government said that it would study ways to separate mainland chickens from local ones. It also ordered a 21-day halt on the sale of mainland poultry in Hong Kong. The move is aimed at preventing the spread of bird flu.  Poultry traders asked the government to wait for bird flu test results before moving imported mainland chickens to the Cheung Sha Wan wholesale market instead of banning mainland poultry. But Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man said the Man Kam To (文錦渡)animal station did not have enough space. Therefore, the imported chickens could not be kept there to wait for test results.  He said the benefits of separating chickens are obvious. The government hopes to be able to do sample tests on imported chickens first to prevent spreading the virus in Hong Kong. 1. detect (v) 發現 2. poultry (n) 家禽 3. import (v) 進口 4. cull (v) 殺掉 5. separate (v) 分開 6. obvious (adj) 顯然的 http://student.thestandard.com.hk/goodies/lr_content_vpdf.asp?id=2427