Guest fountainhall Posted December 21, 2011 Posted December 21, 2011 Anyone travelling to Hong Kong in the next few days should be aware that bird flu has once again reared its ugly head in the city. An infected chicken carcass was found at a wholesale market yesterday which has led to the culling of 17,000 birds. The source of the infection is being traced and it is not yet known if the bird came from a local farm or was imported. Two wild birds were also found to have died of the virus. The authorities have raised their bird flu alert to “serious”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16280698 Quote
Guest ronnie4you Posted December 24, 2011 Posted December 24, 2011 I have tickets to go there in 4 weeks. It isn't worth any risk of bird flu. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted December 24, 2011 Posted December 24, 2011 I certainly would not put off a trip to Hong Kong. Indeed I will be there myself in three weeks. But it's important to realise that outbreaks of bird flu do happen there from time to time, and several people died during the worst one in 1997. Hong Kong residents take them seriously and you will probably find many wearing face-masks. As with any forms of flu, all you need to do is be aware of it and take the usual precautions. Quote
Guest snapshot Posted January 18, 2012 Posted January 18, 2012 I see people are dying from this virus again... Not just in Hong Kong too. It's worth pointing out that most or all of the most recent serious flu epidemic (I mean the ones that have a high fatality rate) started, either in Hong Kong or the Guangdong Province (Mainland China), which surrounds it. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted January 19, 2012 Posted January 19, 2012 It's worth pointing out that most or all of the most recent serious flu epidemic (I mean the ones that have a high fatality rate) started, either in Hong Kong or the Guangdong Province (Mainland China), which surrounds it. A very good point, although it's not accurate to say these epidemics have started in Hong Kong - at least, not in the last few decades. They do, however, start in Guangdong Province from where they tend to spread first to Hong Kong. That's what has happened with the various bird 'flu outbreaks and with SARS. I read somewhere it is the fact that many in Guangdong Province still live over the farm, as it were, and their very close proximity to animals that makes it a lot easier for viruses etc. to cross the species barrier. In Hong Kong over the last two days, I was surprised to see no evidence of any concern re the latest outbreak. Only a handful of people were wearing face masks. If there was concern, half the population would be donning them. Quote
KhorTose Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 When I was back in the USA I received a flue shot that contained protection for the bird flu. I assume the people in Hong Kong have the same thing. Of course the virus can mutate and probably will, but now I have some protection. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted January 21, 2012 Posted January 21, 2012 I haven't had a 'flu shot this year yet, but in Bangkok last year I was told I'd be covered for what was then the latest strain of bird 'flu. I expect most Asian and western countries will be including bird 'flu protection as part of the 'flu virus cocktail. Quote
Guest snapshot Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 A very good point, although it's not accurate to say these epidemics have started in Hong Kong - at least, not in the last few decades. They do, however, start in Guangdong Province from where they tend to spread first to Hong Kong. That's what has happened with the various bird 'flu outbreaks and with SARS. Yeah true... probably can't prove exactly where they actually "started" either. All we know is these strains were first reported in the Guangdong Province. In Hong Kong over the last two days, I was surprised to see no evidence of any concern re the latest outbreak. Only a handful of people were wearing face masks. If there was concern, half the population would be donning them. Same with Guangzhou and other Guangdong cities. If there's only a couple of cases, they probably don't care because they reckon, one of the other millions of citizens will get it first before them! Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 If there's only a couple of cases, they probably don't care because they reckon, one of the other millions of citizens will get it first before them! Ha! Well, the Chinese are great gamblers, we know that! Quote
