An imported chicken is tested in Hong Kong to make sure it is free of avian influenza.<br/> <br />On Thursday authorities implemented a new rapid test to ensure poultry coming from mainland China is virus free.<br/> <br />As of Wednesday, nine people in China had died out of the 33 confirmed human cases of the virus.<br/> <br />All livestock already undergoes checks on the Chinese mainland before being exported, but the government in Hong Kong is now stepping up it own monitoring.<br/> <br />A senior veterinary officer at the Centre for Food Safety said if they find any infections they will consider a cull of all birds in retail and wholesale markets.<br/> <br />The source of the outbreak is still unknown and no cases of human to human cases have yet been confirmed.
