Home>News Center>China
       
 

Red fire ants confirmed in Hong Kong
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-01-30 11:31

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation received Saturday a verbal reply from experts in the Chinese mainland confirming that the specimen of ants that had been submitted for their examination was Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA).

According to the US Department of Agriculture, red fire ants (solenopsis invicta) bite repeatedly when their nests are disturbed.

Repeated stings from a swarm could lead to chest pains, nausea, shock or, in extremely rare cases, coma or death. Taiwan reported its first death from red fire ants last October.

Hong Kong discovered its first suspected fire ant mounds in Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai Wednesday. Since then, more and more suspected mounds have been reported.

In Saturday's operation, the West Bank of Kowloon Cultural District area and a former bus terminal in Tai Kok Tsui became the latest habitats of the fire ants, making the total number of mounds found so far in various sites amounting to 187.

Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok said Friday the fire ants might settle in Hong Kong permanently.

"I cannot rule out this possibility ... they might have been in Hong Kong for some time," he said.

An interdepartmental taskforce led by the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau has been set up to co-ordinate patrol efforts by various departments which will report findings to the agriculture department.

More than 800 estate management staff of the Hong Kong Housing Department have been mobilized to step up daily inspection of housing estates to prevent possible spread of red fire ants. Patrol teams will also watch for any fire ant traces and promptly deal with any found.

However, Chow urged the public not to overreact, saying the ants were just insects, not a virus such as SARS.

"Since there are very few agricultural activities in Hong Kong, it would not be too difficult for us to control the situation should we find the ants in Hong Kong," Chow said.

He said it is quite safe to enjoy the Chinese New Year in the traditional ways, although people need to take some precautions when buying flowers and plants from the market.

To ensure all pot plants being sent to local farms and markets are free from the pests, all imported plants are inspected and disinfected at a special treatment area in Ta Kwu Ling.

Speaking on a radio talk shows Saturday, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Lau Sin-pang said the inspections on pot plants imported from the mainland will raise consumer confidence in buying them.



 
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

Iraq election begins, under shadow of violence

 

   
 

First direct flights in 56 years took off

 

   
 

Five die of meningitis; Most were students

 

   
 

Beijing considers talking with Chen Shui-bian

 

   
 

China and Venezuela sign oil agreements

 

   
 

No rush on yuan reform: China

 

   
  Red fire ants confirmed in Hong Kong
   
  Five die of meningitis; Most were students
   
  Dalian becomes N. China biggest oil transit port
   
  Financial sector undergoes successful reform: official
   
  No rush on yuan reform: China
   
  China and Venezuela sign oil agreements
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲精品自在线拍| 国产在线爱做人成小视频| 一区二区日韩欧美| 日本护士xxxxwww| 亚洲av无码之日韩精品| 欧美黑人肉体狂欢大派对| 免费黄色网址入口| 一级毛片免费播放男男| 日韩人妻一区二区三区蜜桃视频 | wwwxxx国产| 日韩午夜在线观看| 亚洲ⅴ国产v天堂a无码二区| 欧美精品va在线观看| 免费a级毛片无码| 紫黑粗硬狂喷浓精| 国产v日韩v欧美v精品专区| 97免费人妻在线视频| 女人战争免费观看韩国| 三年片韩国在线观看| 我和小雪在ktv被一群男生小说| 久久天天躁狠狠躁夜夜不卡| 波多野结衣电影一区二区| 午夜伦理在线观看免费高清在线电影| 花蝴蝶免费版高清版| 国产大片黄在线观看| 欧美另类第一页| 国产看午夜精品理论片| 18禁黄网站禁片无遮挡观看| 国产色在线播放| 97人伦影院a级毛片| 在线视频国产网址你懂的在线视频| www久久精品| 好紧的小嫩木耳白浆| 一本一本久久a久久精品综合| 成人a一级试看片| 中国男同videos| 扒开双腿疯狂进出爽爽爽动态图 | 521色香蕉网站在线观看| 国内精品久久人妻互换| 99re在线视频播放| 国语高清精品一区二区三区|