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The first three consignments of 6,000 live chickens imported from the Mainland today (April 20) under a pilot programme have all passed testing for avian influenza H5 antibody and H5 virus.
In each consignment, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department collected 18 blood samples for testing of H5 antibody and faecal samples from 30 birds for rapid screening testing for H5 virus.
Results of laboratory tests conducted by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department confirmed this afternoon that the H5 antibody level in all the blood samples were satisfactory, while the faecal samples were all negative for avian influenza H5 virus.
Clinical examination of the chickens also showed that the chickens were in very good health conditions.
The chickens have been released for sale in the retail market.
Ends/ Tuesday, April 20, 2004
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