GUANGZHOU lifted its human bird flu alert after 10 days yesterday (Mar 15), the Information Times reported Tuesday, citing the city's health authority.

Hospitals needn't report new human infections or suspected bird flu cases every day, the Guangzhou-based newspaper said.

But the city's disease control center will continue to report pneumonia cases, and as a precaution all local downtown restaurants are not allowed to slaughter poultry themselves.

The government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said on the same day that it would soon discuss with Guangdong Province the resumption of the poultry trade, reiterating a low poultry population was the key to preventing bird flu.

Editor: Wing