| Home
|
Chickens in Hong Kong killed to stop
'bird-flu' virus Posted 1-5-98 In what many call a massive public relations effort, Hong Kong officials last week ordered the slaughter of every last chicken in the territory, hoping to eradicate a sometimes deadly influenza virus that is carried by farm-raised poultry. At least 20 people have been infected and four have died from the viral strain, H5N1 Type A, dubbed the "bird flu" because of its association with chicken, ducks, pigeons, and other avian species. Scientists originally isolated the virus in birds in 1961, but the bug did not show up in humans until last year. Epidemiologists don’t understand exactly how the virus is transmitted, only that it is probably acquired from live chickens and appears to spread poorly through human-to-human contact. Allaying fears that the bird flu could escalate to global proportions, Hong Kong officials last week instigated a mass slaughter of fowl in area farms, markets, and retail food stalls, wiping out some 1.3 million chickens over a few days. Workers buried heaps of plastic-covered bird remains in deep landfills and began disinfecting cages and market stalls. In addition to ordering the cleanup, Hong Kong authorities extended a ban on live, imported chickens from mainland China, where some believe the virus originated. Joining forces with epidemiologists from around the world investigating the situation, the Atlanta-based national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has arranged for a special task force to determine "whether and to what extent infection is being transmitted from person to person, bird to person, or both," according to a CDC statement. So far, toddlers account for most of the flu victims. Health experts agree that there is no chance of contracting the virus by eating chicken that has been properly cooked. Related Site |
|