Source: Xinhua

02-27-2009 11:39

Special Report:   Tech Max

HONG KONG, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong Mai Po Nature Reserve, which has been closed to the public since Feb. 6, will re-open from Feb. 27, according to the Hong Kong government website on Thursday.

Photo from Hong Kong Mai Po Nature Reserve.

After the detection of the H5N1 virus in a dead Grey Heron collected at Mai Po Nature Reserve earlier, it was closed as part of the precautionary measures adopted to minimize human contact with wild birds and their droppings.

As there has not been any new case of birds infected with the H5 virus found near the nature reserve in the past 21 days, which is recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health for avian influenza surveillance in birds, the nature reserve may re-open to the public, a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong said Thursday.

The spokesman said the department will continue to work closely with the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong to ensure that sufficient precautionary measures are being taken.

The department has maintained a stringent monitoring regime on wild birds in Mai Po Nature Reserve and has been collecting faecal samples for H5 avian influenza tests since winter 2002.

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Editor:Yang Jie