Latest situation: Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr York Chow convenes an avian flu meeting.

People should stay vigilant against bird flu as the risk of H5N1 poultry outbreaks and human infections in Hong Kong remains, with more cases detected this winter, Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr York Chow says.

Dr Chow convened an inter-departmental meeting today in view of the latest avian influenza outbreaks in the region. Centre for Health Protection Scientific Committee on Emerging & Zoonotic Diseases Chairman Yuen Kwok-yung gave his expert assessment on the latest threat of the deadly virus.

Dr Chow said recent reports of avian flu in other places, as well as the detection of the H5N1 virus in local wild birds has indicated the disease remains a threat to the community.

Working well

Experts exchanged views on the present surveillance programme on wild birds and agreed it has been working well. About 13,500 dead birds were tested in the past three years, with 33 found H5N1-positive.

The World Health Organisation has not made any change in antiviral treatment recommendations for H5N1 patients as there is no indication that oseltamivir resistance is as widespread as suspected in the two recent Egypt cases or elsewhere.

The antiviral guidelines promulgated by the Centre for Health Protection will remain valid. The current antiviral stockpile level is over 15 million doses - including Tamiflu and Relenza. The target stockpile of 20 million doses is expected to be achieved by the middle of this year.

Dr Chow called on the public to stay vigilant and observe good hygiene. The Government will update its preparedness plan regularly.

Zero case record

Hong Kong has maintained a zero case record on H5N1 avian flu human infection and poultry infection in local farms since early 2003, although the virus was continued to be found on a small number of dead migratory and wild birds.

Since 2003, the WHO has confirmed a total of 270 human cases of H5N1 infection from 10 countries, with 164 or 60.7% of them being fatal cases.