ealth officials in Hong Kong have begun culling more than 17,000 chickens to prevent the spread of bird flu. Thousands more in other areas have also been culled.

The government has also suspend imports of live chickens from mainland China for 21 days to prevent any spread of avian flu, which passes easily among birds and can spread to humans.

The H5N1 avian virus was found in a chicken carcass in the city's biggest wholsesale poultry market.

Hazem Sika reports.