Macao suspends live poultry trade after avian flu positive report

MACAO - Macao will suspend its live poultry trade for at least three days after a market sample tested on Wednesday positive for H7 strain of bird flu, 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 all poultry markets in Macao will be sterilized and their business of live poultry trade be suspended for at least three days. All 9,000 live poultry in the market where the positive sample was found will be culled Wednesday night.

The region's Health Bureau Director Lei Chin Ion said the bureau has been getting in contact with seven people, most of whom worked in the shop where the positive sample was found.

Lei added that they will receive demiological investigation, and be quarantined for 10 days if confirmed as close contact with the avian flu virus.

This is the second time that Macao suspends its live poultry trade because of bird flu report this year. On Feb 3, 2016, an H7 avian flu virus strain was detected in poultry sold in Macao's street market and the authorities suspended live poultry sales for three days.