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Following is a question by the Hon Wong Yung-kan and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (June 9):

Question:

It has been reported that the last avian influenza case in the Mainland was reported over three months ago, which satisfies the time requirement set by the World Organisation for Animal Health for lifting the restriction on the suspension of importation of live poultry from infected places. Moreover, the Government has resumed the importation of live chickens from the Mainland on a trial basis since late April this year, with none of the imported live chickens found infected with avian influenza. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the scientific and legal basis for still imposing restrictions on the quantity of live chickens imported from the Mainland;

(b) whether it has worked out a timetable for resuming the normal importation of live chickens; if so, of the details; and

(c) whether it knows the reasons for the absence of importation of day-old chicks from the Mainland to Hong Kong despite that the Hong Kong authorities have already permitted the resumption of unlimited importation of day-old chicks since late April this year, and of the follow-up actions taken by the Hong Kong authorities in this regard?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) The recent H5N1 avian influenza epidemic in Asia is unprecedented. Although the epidemic is now under control, international health and animal health organisations have cautioned that H5N1 avian influenza is likely to become endemic in poultry in the region. They have also advised the places and countries in the region to stay vigilant in the surveillance and preventive efforts against the disease. Indeed, there are still sporadic cases of outbreaks in the region.

The Government is committed to protecting the public from the risk posed by avian influenza. Past experience has shown that the principal mode of transmission of avian influenza virus from poultry to human is through contact with live poultry or their faeces. Previously, about 100,000 live chickens were sold daily at the retail level in Hong Kong. The great exposure of the general public with such a large number of live chickens posed a real threat to the public health due to the propensity of H5N1 avian influenza virus to mutate and reassort and the possible incursions of other avian influenza viruses.

A recent study conducted by the University of Hong Kong indicates that -

(i) Each year, 3.48 million persons are in contact with live poultry during their purchase of live poultry;

(ii) Of these contacts, 134,000 have the potential of co-infection of human influenza and avian influenza; and

(iii) According to a scientific study published in the journal "Science", it is estimated that 600 human infections would be required for a 50 per cent chance of reassortment.

Against the above background, the Government needs to act cautiously in handling the resumption of import of live poultry to protect public health. In accordance with the recommendations made by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the import of live poultry from a place affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) can be resumed six months after the last outbreak has been eradicated. Any earlier import resumption would be subject to a full risk assessment undertaken by the importing place having regard to the local situation and the measures implemented by the exporting place to prevent and control avian influenza.

Under the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Regulations (Cap. 139, Sub. Leg. A), no person shall bring into Hong Kong any bird unless it is accompanied by a valid health certificate issued by a competent veterinary authority certifying to our satisfaction as to the matters prescribed in the Regulations which attest to the health of the birds.

Between April 20 and May 11, we resumed import of live chickens from the Mainland on a pilot basis. All of the tests for H5 avian influenza virus conducted on the chickens imported during this period showed negative results and the testing results on the antibody level were also satisfactory. Having reviewed the local situation including our laboratory capacity to conduct full virological screening test of consignments at an acceptable level in case of further suspected outbreaks in the region, the limited availability of local facilities to quarantine consignments on detection of sick birds and the public health risks arising from the accommodation of large quantities of chickens on a daily basis at our crowded retail markets, we considered it prudent for the daily import of live chickens from May 12 onwards at the current level of about 30,000 and review how the new quarantine arrangements are working.

(b) As explained in part (a) of the reply, we need to act cautiously in handling the resumption of import of live poultry to protect public health and will continue to carefully review the situation based on the risk assessment. We have already made known our plans to reduce the number of live poultry stalls as far as possible, through a voluntary surrender package to encourage tenants and licensees of live poultry stalls to surrender their tenancies or licences. This would enable us to redesign and reconfigure the stall layout to segregate customers from live poultry to the greatest possible extent. The total accommodation capacity at the retail level will be substantially reduced as a result.

(c) We have started discussion with the Mainland on the resumption of import of day-old chicks from the Mainland since early April. In fact, we have indicated to the Mainland on numerous occasions our intention to resume the import as soon as possible and how the lack of supply of day-old chicks has affected the production of local chicken farms. In principle, the importation of day-old chicks could be resumed as early as April 20, the same day as live chickens were imported on a pilot basis.

As of today, we have made all the necessary arrangements for the import resumption including agreeing with the Mainland on the new inspection and quarantine arrangements and the inspection of five registered Mainland farms supplying day-old chicks to Hong Kong. However, we now understand from the Mainland authority that there is as yet a firm timetable for the supply of day-old chicks to Hong Kong because of domestic production and commercial constraints.

Ends/Wednesday, June 9, 2004

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