# 7075
Multiple media sources are reporting that Hong Kong authorities are testing a 7 year-old girl, recently returned from Shanghai - who is showing flu-like symptoms - for the new H7N9 bird flu virus.
It should be noted that it is still seasonal flu season in Hong Kong and Asia, which makes differentiating between common viral infections and this emerging bird flu a challenge.
Given the stakes, and their history with the SARS virus of 2003, Hong Kong officials are understandably taking no chances.
We should have some lab results within the next few hours.
This from the Hong Kong Standard.
Girl, 7, becomes first suspected HK patient
A seven-year-old girl, who had visited the eastern region of China and had contact with live poultry, is suspected to be infected with the killer H7N9 virus, Health Minister Ko Wing-man said today.
She is in quarantine and tests will be conducted.
<SNIP>
Ko also said the government will follow standard guidelines in responding to detections of the H7 or H5 avian flu viruses in local poultry.
As for border protection, he said more staff will be deployed to monitor the body temperature of arrivals.
