MOH Closely Monitors Bird Flu Despite Very Low Risk In Singapore

TENGKU NOOR SHAMSIAH ABDULLAH SINGAPORE, Dec 22 (Bernama) -- Risk of bird flu is very low at the moment in Singapore, but the Ministry of Health (MOH) is closely monitoring the situation in Hong Kong following the latest outbreak there. It was reported that health workers in Hong Kong had slaughtered more than 17,000 chickens on Wednesday after a carcass infected with bird flu was found at a poultry market, the first large-scale culling in three years. Hong Kong officials also raised the territory’s bird flu alert to “serious,” increasing monitoring for influenza at hospitals and closed the market where the carcass was discovered until Jan 12. In a statement, MOH said while the risk to Singapore was very low at the moment, "we would advise all travellers to Hong Kong to remain vigilant and adopt good hygiene practices." It advised the public to seek prompt medical attention if they were returning from Hong Kong and developed fever and/or influenza-like illnesses. -- BERNAMA