Hong Kong Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow said on Wednesday the testing of park birds has been an integral part of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department's avian influenza surveillance and monitoring program.

Chow told lawmakers on Wednesday that about 200 faecal samples from recreational parks are submitted to the department for testing every month.

These include Leisure and Cultural Services Department parks, Kadoorie Farm and Botanical 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 and Cultural Services Department parks, namely, Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Hong Kong Park and two other parks.

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 and Conservation Department for bird flu tests.

Source: Xinhua