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Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr York Chow says testing of park birds has been an integral part of the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Deaprtment's avian influenza surveillance and monitoring programme.
Dr Chow today told lawmakers that about 200 faecal samples from recreational parks are submitted to the department for testing every month.
These include Leisure & Cultural Services Department parks, Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden and Ocean Park. Last year, 2,871 samples tested negative for the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus.
He said around 1,500 birds are kept in four major Leisure & Cultural Services Department parks, namely Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Gardens, Hong Kong Park, Kowloon Park and Yuen Long Park.
The department's senior veterinary officers closely monitor the bird's health conditions. During their weekly inspections, samples of bird droppings are sent to the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department for bird flu tests.
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