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Following is a transcript of the remarks made by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, at the Central Government Offices this morning (January 13):

Dr Yeoh: In the surveillance for H5N1 avian flu, as you know, we have done a lot of work. We have increased our biosecurity measures in the farms. We have also implemented vaccination programmes in our farms for chickens. We have also agreed with the Mainland authorities, for all live chickens that come into Hong Kong, that they are vaccinated for H5N1. By the 15th of this month, all the chickens coming into Hong Kong into our farms will be vaccinated. In fact, at this moment in time, most of them are already vaccinated. We have also reviewed the surveillance programme in Hong Kong. Yesterday I met with two department heads (the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene and Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation) and they reported to me that there have been no unusual circumstances in our farms or markets. We have not seen any unusual deaths in the chickens in the markets. The chickens in the farms appear to be healthy and well. As you know, we also have a regular surveillance programme of checking for H5N1 in our markets and farms to look for the virus. In the last month or two, there have been no reports of any H5N1 in our markets or in the farms. So our programme seems to be successful. I've asked the two directors to intensify our surveillance programme and to take closer inspection in markets and farms to make sure there are no unusual circumstances.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion)

Ends/Tuesday, January 13, 2004

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