Chinese society demands that food be as fresh as possible . But problems arise with the way live poultry is prepared , stored and sold . According to Professor Gabriel Leung , head of the Department of Community Medicine at Hong Kong University , the spread of disease does not just work in one direction . China 's public health authorities taking throat swabs from live food birds . A strain of bird flu virus has resulted in more than 17 deaths .
Chinese society demands that food be as fresh as possible . But problems arise with the way live poultry is prepared , stored and sold . China 's public health authorities taking throat swabs from live food birds . A strain of bird flu virus has resulted in more than 17 deaths .