A dead Common Magpie found in Mong Kok on February 17 has been confirmed to be H5N1-positive, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department says.

The department's staff collected the carcass at the junction of Boundary Street and Flower Market Path.

The department said it is closely monitoring pet bird stalls in Mong Kok's Bird Garden to prevent any avian influenza outbreak among pet birds, adding nothing abnormal has been found in the garden.

Pet bird stalls under close watch

The stalls in Yuen Po Street have been put under close surveillance, the department said. Collection of swab samples from the stalls has been increased to every three days from every five days.

More than 200 swab samples are collected from pet bird stalls, including those at Bird Garden, each month to test for avian-flu viruses. All results have been negative so far.

Traders and workers have been reminded to keep their stalls clean and prevent contact between wild birds and the birds they have for sale.

To import live pet birds into Hong Kong requires a special permit from the department It issues permits only for consignments from countries where there is no evidence or suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza being present.

Pre-export quarantine required

Birds to be imported must undergo at least 14 days pre-export quarantine and be tested for H5 and H7 during the quarantine period before shipment.

An official veterinarian must examine the birds and certify them as being free of evidence of infectious disease before shipment.