Influenza A (H5) will be added to the list of infectious diseases specified in the First Schedule to the Quarantine & Prevention of Disease Ordinance (Chapter 141).

The Government decided on the move to better guard against avian influenza. According to the amendments, medical practitioners are required to notify the Department of Health of any suspected cases of Influenza A (H5). The amendments will take immediate effect upon publication in the Government Gazette on January 30.

The Department of Health and its Guangdong and Macau counterparts have agreed to notify each other once they receive any reports of suspected or confirmed human avian flu cases in their jurisdictions.

At a tripartite meeting today in Guangzhou, the delegates agreed that a joint clinical team will be formed to study any suspected avian flu cases.

Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said tonight that he reported the latest avian flu situation to Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa following his return from an international meeting on the disease in Bangkok.

Dr Yeoh said the World Health Organisation has confirmed there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, adding that it and other international bodies are working to stop the spread of the disease.

Noting the spread of the disease is serious in the region, Dr Yeoh said the Government will step up its surveillance system and inspections at the boundary, markets and farms.

All concerned departments have been asked to closely review their existing measures. A meeting will be conducted tomorrow to see if there is any need to make adjustments to the measures.

Speaking on the need to vaccinate live-poultry trade operators, Dr Yeoh said there is not any vaccine which has been confirmed to be effective in preventing humans from getting the disease.

He stressed that the most important issue right now is to make sure that the local live-poultry and the imported ones are free from the disease.

With the confirmation of avian influenza cases in Indonesia and Laos, the Government had temporarily suspended the importation of live birds and poultry meat from the two countries.

The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation and Food & Environmental Hygiene Departments earlier suspended the processing of applications for importing live birds and poultry meat from these two countries pending more information about the suspected outbreaks there.

Patient confirmed avian flu free

A 75-year-old patient who developed respiratory illness symptoms after visiting Vietnam has been confirmed free of avian flu. The woman was transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital from North District Hospital to receive isolation care last night.

A series of virus tests have been conducted. The influenza A and B tests yielded negative results and the coronavirus test is still being conducted. The initial diagnosis of the patient is upper respiratory tract infection. She is in stable condition.

Meanwhile, a website on the prevention of avian flu has been launched. For details, click here.