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New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu on Monday (April 29) inspected the disinfection of a riverside park where pigeons gather in large flocks, as part of an effort to help prevent the spread of avian flu.
The city's agricultural department said it has increased the number of times it disinfected the Hua-chiang Bridge to more than twice a week since the bird flu outbreak in China.
Mayor Eric Chu advised local residents to keep their distance when bird watching and refrain from feeding them. People who fail to comply could face a fine up to 200 U.S. dollars (6,000 Taiwan dollars).
"From today on, we have notified the local residents with banners and we will first warn and educate them. We will enforce penalties according to the law when necessary. We are sure that people are kind-hearted but they must protect themselves during this period," he said.
Taiwan reported the first H7N9 case outside of mainland China on Wednesday
