Live poultry trade resumed

Macau resumed its live poultry trade yesterday. According to the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, live poultry from Zhuhai will be available in today’s markets if the produce test negative for avian flu. Authorities suspended live poultry sales and culled 9,000 live birds after an H7 avian flu virus strain was detected in poultry sold in a Macau market on June 22. In the two weeks that followed, all poultry markets in Macau underwent daily sterilization. The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau has maintained contact with Guangdong’s inspection and quarantine authorities in preparation for resuming Macau’s live poultry trade.

IAS advises nursery registration closed

The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) has announced the conclusion of this year’s registration and ballot process for Macau’s 34 subsidized nursery schools. Parents who withdraw their child’s application to a nursery will have their child’s place awarded to the next on the waiting list. In some cases, the schools may select applicants through a random draw. Three new subsidized nursery schools are currently being setup, according to TDM, and are expected to start accepting student applications at the end of this year or the beginning of 2017. In the past, the IAS has encouraged local parents to consider half-day childcare services for their children, due to the limited capacity of Macau’s nurseries. In April last year it was estimated that the approximately 8,300 places available in Macau could only cater for 40 percent of the local infant population.