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Following is a transcript (English portion) of the remarks made by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, at a media session after a meeting with the Director-General of the Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Mr Liu Shengli, in Shenzhen today (February 6):
Question: Can you tell us in more detail what kind of measures the Shenzhen authorities will be implementing?
Dr Chow: The Shenzhen authorities have already reduced the number of registered chicken farms from over a hundred to now 35. Because of the very stringent criteria of accreditation and licensing, they have regular checks on the farms regarding their biosecurity. They also have ensured that all the chickens are being vaccinated and they are also testing the antibody of the chickens on a regular basis and of course, now are being more frequently since a report of H5N1 in Hong Kong. They have also imposed a quarantine of five days applied to export to Hong Kong. So, they have observation on the chickens heading for Hong Kong. They also have imposed a more stringent transport system to ensure that the loading of chickens into the trucks and so on are being monitored. They also have the health check at the border before they come to Hong Kong. Up to Hong Kong, they also have the same type of health check and testing for antibody and PCR at our border.
Reporter: What about the infected chicken that was found in Sha Tau Kok village on Hong Kong side last month? Did you know where the chicken came from? Are you worried that ¡K¡K
Dr Chow: We are both concerned about the origin of the chicken but unfortunately I think because the chicken has been taken up by the Hong Kong resident for five days before it had symptoms. It is very difficult to say whether it got infected after it had arrived home at the affected family or actually before. To some extent, we want to ensure that first of all, the chickens in the market of Sha Tau Kok are also fit for consumption and they are all being vaccinated as being reassured by the authority here.
Reporter: (inaudible)
Dr Chow: We cannot have any conclusive analysis of this particular case because the time gap falls within the incubation period.
Reporter: Could you explain what kind of situation would you consider lowering the number of chicken being imported to Hong Kong?
Dr Chow: If there is continuous outbreak of H5N1 in chickens in this locality, and also in Hong Kong and in southern China, perhaps we have to reconsider the number of chickens being imported to Hong Kong.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Monday, February 6, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:56
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