The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said yesterday that preliminary testing of a dead peregrine falcon and a dead black-headed gull have returned positive for the H5 avian influenza virus.

A spokesman for the city's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said that further confirmatory tests are being conducted.

According to the AFCD, the dead peregrine falcon and black-headed gull were found and collected at two separate locations on January 30.

Peregrine falcons are rare winter visitors to Hong Kong, while the black-headed gull is a common visitor.

The spokesman said that there were no poultry farms within 3 kilometers of where the dead peregrine falcon was found, but four chicken farms are within 3 kilometers of where the dead black-headed gull was found. AFCD staff inspected the farms and found no abnormal mortality or symptoms of avian influenza among the chicken flocks.

These farms will be put under enhanced surveillance.

"People should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and their droppings. They should clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them," he warned.