Hong Kong steps up bird flu testing

An imported chicken is tested in Hong Kong to make sure it is free of avian influenza.

On Thursday authorities implemented a new rapid test to ensure poultry coming from mainland China is virus free.

As of Wednesday, nine people in China had died out of the 33 confirmed human cases of the virus.

All livestock already undergoes checks on the Chinese mainland before being exported, but the government in Hong Kong is now stepping up it own monitoring.

A senior veterinary officer at the Centre for Food Safety said if they find any infections they will consider a cull of all birds in retail and wholesale markets.

The source of the outbreak is still unknown and no cases of human to human cases have yet been confirmed.