be killed by the local government. A new regulation requires all live chickens not sold by 8pm to be killed. The chairman of the Hong Kong Poultry Wholesalers Association said the government's decision makes it very difficult for their business to continue. Retailers who keep live poultry after 8pm are now subject to a fine of HK$50,000 and six months imprisonment. July As of the July 25, 2008 FAO Avian Influenza Disease Emergency Situation Update, H5N1 pathogenicity is continuing to gradually rise in wild birds in endemic areas but the avian influenza disease situation in farmed birds is being held in check by vaccination. Eleven outbreaks of H5N1 were reported worldwide in June 2008 in five countries (China, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam) compared to 65 outbreaks in June 2006 and 55 in June 2007. The "global HPAI situation can be said to have improved markedly in the first half of 2008 [but] cases of HPAI are still underestimated and underreported in many countries because of limitations in country disease surveillance systems". 2009 January January 16, 2009: H5N1 hits Nepal for first time. In a January 16 report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), government officials in Nepal said the virus struck backyard poultry in a village in Jhapa district in the southeastern corner of Nepal. Though the Nepal Government announced that bird flu in the country's Kankarbhitta area is under control, avian virus surfaced again in Sharanamati of Jhapa district. Over 150 chickens died in the Indian border town, 35 km southwest of Kankarbhitta. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives declared the area surrounding Sharanamati a "bird-flu affected area" and increased surveillance along the border. A Rapid Response Team (RRT) was dispatched to control the virus. The government also banned the transportation of poultry products throughout the country. The first outbreak was confirmed in Kankarbhitta on January 16. 28,000 chickens were killed in the area to control the virus. Earlier, Agriculture Minister Jayprakash Gupta asked the international community and donor agencies to provide help to Nepal fight the disease. The Indo-Nepal border was in heightened alert because of the disease. February February 21, 2009: H5N1 killed a 23-year-old woman named Lý Tài Múi from Nà Cáng, Quảng An, Đầm hà, Quảng Ninh Province, Vietnam. February 25, 2009: H5N1 virus confirmed as the cause of death for a 32-year-old man from Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. March March 19,