Chicken flu threatens economy of south China

Most of the chickens sold in Hong Kong come from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, where poultry prices have plummeted by as much as 50%.

Local officials say spot checks have not revealed any cases of the virus but that China will comply with Hong Kong's demands for certificates of quarantine to be issued.

It's not clear when exports will resume, but with seventy-five-thousand chickens usually sold to Hong Kong every day, the BBC correspondent in Beijing says a prolonged crisis could have serious economic repercussions.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service