The Hong Kong government Thursday decided to stop poultry import from the Chinese Mainland since the suspected human case of avian flu in Shenzhen has been confirmed.

The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, York Chow, pointed out that in view of the confirmed H5N1 human case in Shenzhen, Hong Kong would suspend the import of live poultry and birds from the Chinese Mainland for three weeks to be conducted from Friday ( June 16).

However, the supply of chilled and frozen poultry meat would not be affected. In addition, the relevant bureaus and departments had stepped up preventive and control measures against avian influenza.

Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong has started a three-week enhanced surveillance program, following notification from the Guangdong Health Department of a human case of avian flu.

Under the program, hospitals should report all patients who has pneumonia of unidentified etiology and traveled to affected areas or countries with confirmed human cases of avian influenza.

The authority said it has received 10 pneumonia cases of unidentified etiology, involving five men and five women who had visited Guangdong and Hubei provinces.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2006)