SHENZHEN health officials haven’t seen any patients infected with the H7N9 bird flu virus, the city’s center for disease control and prevention (CDC) said yesterday.

    Hong Kong has suspended the import of poultry from three registered poultry markets in Shenzhen after confirming its first case of H7N9 bird flu Monday. Hong Kong health officials said a 36-year-old Indonesian domestic helper fell sick after slaughtering a chicken while visiting Shenzhen.

    Shenzhen poultry markets have intensified their disinfection measures and monitoring, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday, citing market administrators.

    “We’re now doing three to four times the normal amount of disinfection work in the market every day, and will arrange professional cleaners to clean the trade area after daily sales peaks,” said an administrator of a wholesale market in Nanshan District.

    “We will immediately report fever cases to the city’s health authorities if they are found in the market,” added a representative of a wholesale market in Futian District.

    Many local poultry markets have posted additional signs warning buyers not to touch live poultry and instead asking stall operators to slaughter them after purchases.

    Poultry sales in Shenzhen have not been affected by the H7N9 case in neighboring Hong Kong, local vendors said.

    A Hong Kong resident surnamed Wong who shops frequently on this side of the border expressed confidence in the countermeasures.

    “I’ll continue to buy live poultry in Shenzhen, even though I am a little bit worried after the H7N9 case was found, because I believe the governments have improved the disinfection measures,” Wong said.

    The Indonesian woman has been hospitalized for several days and was in critical condition yesterday.

    “She has a history of traveling to Shenzhen, buying a chicken, then slaughtering and eating it,” said Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man.

    Hong Kong initially quarantined 17 people who had close contact with the woman. A Hong Kong government statement issued after that quarantine said all 17 people had tested negative for the virus but would be sent to a holiday village in the seaside town of Sai Kung “for medical surveillance.”

    (Cui Xiaoli)