Macao suspends live poultry trade after avian flu report

Macao will suspend its live poultry trade immediately after a sample from silky fowl tested positive for H7 strain of bird flu on Tuesday, the special administrative region's health and civil affairs authorities said.

Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau chief Jose Maria da Fonseca Tavares told the press that the flu-positive birds were imported from Chinese mainland and all poultry markets in Macao will receive sterilization procedure and suspend live poultry trade for at least three days.

The duration of suspension will be decided after the mainland authorities find the source of those poultry.

The bureau added that the market where the positive sample was found has been sealed and no infected birds has entered retail markets. Some 6,300 chicken, 500 silky fowl and 3,000 pigeons in that market will also be culled.

Macao's Health Bureau said a local poultry dealer and a van driver from Chinese mainland have been recognized as contacts. The dealer has been sent to hospital for virus test, and the driver who had return to the mainland was already reported by Health Bureau to mainland authorities.

This is the third time that Macao suspends its live poultry trade because of bird flu report this year. Previously, the same practice was conducted in February and June. Endit