(CN-HKG) Bird Killing

[Guest guest]

South China Morning Post

Sunday, February 26, 2006

http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZNCTTH8JE.html

 

Official edicts on killing crows create state of confusion

by NIKI LAW

 

The public was left confused last night about whether to steer clear

of house crows and pigeons or try to kill them following yet another

government U-turn in the fight against bird flu.

 

The Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department yesterday

announced it would assign more staff to kill the crows, after earlier

saying department measures were sufficient and welcoming the public

to join the hunt. At the same time, a department spokesman urged

people to avoid contact with wild birds.

 

Three more birds were confirmed on Friday to have died from the H5N1

virus, taking the total to 13. They were a white-backed munia found

in Queen's Road East, a large-billed crow picked up in Magnolia Road,

Kowloon Tong, and a munia found in Repulse Bay Road.

 

A house crow found in Tai Hang Tung Road, Shekkipmei, is also

suspected of carrying the H5N1 virus.

 

Last night, the department said preliminary testing on a common

magpie found in Island Road, Southern District, on Friday was a

suspected H5 case.

 

" We will deploy more manpower and work with the Housing Department to

deal with the problem, " an agriculture department spokesman said.

 

" The public should be avoiding all wild birds and their droppings.

People need to wash their hands thoroughly if they come into contact

with them. "

 

Despite that advice, the department welcomes public help to kill

these " very clever " birds.

 

" Well, we are definitely not opposed to people killing crows. We are

poisoning them ourselves, " the spokesman said.

 

The apparently conflicting advice comes just a day after the

department announced that it would not step up measures to hunt down

and kill house crows.

 

Two new human cases of bird flu had been confirmed on the mainland,

bringing the total cases to 14, the Ministry of Health website said.

A nine-year-old from Anji in Zhejiang province and a woman, 26, from

Yingshang in Anhui had tested positive for the H5N1 virus and are in

serious condition.

The girl, who fell ill on February 10, visited a relative's home in

Guangde, Anhui, where ducks had died. The woman fell ill on February

11 and had contact with dead poultry that carried the H5N1 virus.