Bird flu spreading

Health officials in Hong Kong say more cases of the virulent new form of influenza, known as bird flu, have been discovered.

The officials said new tests showed that thirty people had been infected by the virus, which has killed four people in the territory this year.

The virus is thought to be spread mainly by direct contact with chickens, but local health officials say human-to-human transmission cannot be ruled out.

A team from the World Health Organisation which has been investigating the disease in Hong Kong is now expected to go on to southern China.

Hong Kong normally brings in seventy-five-thousand chickens a day from the mainland, but banned all imports last week.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service