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In response to press enquiries, a Government spokesman said today (February 20) that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) had commissioned Professor Roger S Morris, the Director of Massey University EpiCentre, New Zealand, in 2003 to look into the risk of avian influenza in HK.
The objective of the study was to examine the nature and scale of the risks to public health in HK which resulted from the periodic occurrence of avian influenza, and the expected reduction that could be achieved by various means.
The study, which was submitted to the Government in 2004, had recommended a number of measures to the Government in reducing the risk of an avian influenza outbreak in Hong Kong, including the following:
* Replace all live imported chickens by chilled products
* Enhance biosecurity within and outside HK poultry production system, in retail markets and during the transportation process
* Modify live bird marketing by reducing the number of retailed chicken stalls and separate wholesale markets for local and mainland chickens
* Reduce human exposure to wild bird viruses
* Modify interaction among various host species
* Use vaccine to maximum effect
* Reduce illegal and other uncontrolled sources of avian flu entry: and
* Take measures to manage risk of introduction and dissemination in human visitors
"We have implemented many of the suggested measures made in the report. It should also be noted that the report has clearly said that it is purely a qualitative assessment and not a quantitative one and further data research is necessary.
"The report is therefore used for internal reference, " the spokesman said.
The spokesman noted that the Administration had adopted various measures including implementing very stringent biosecurity requirements in local farms as well as hygiene requirements for wholesale and retail markets. All chickens sold in HK were subject to vaccination.
The Administration was also in regular discussions with the Mainland with a view to ensuring only those registered farms which could comply with Hong Kongˇ¦s import requirements could supply chickens to Hong Kong.
"With regard to a total ban of live birds from the Mainland, the international practice was that it should be introduced following an outbreak of avian influenza in the area/district for a temporary period. In fact, we have instituted such a ban in 2004 when there was an outbreak in Guangdong. Furthermore, we have reached an agreement with the Mainland on a ceiling of chicken imports," the spokesman said.
An incentive scheme was introduced to reduce the number of wholesale and retail stalls by voluntary surrender scheme. Mixing of species at farms, in transportation and in the wholesale and retail markets has been prohibited.
The Government was also considering the idea of implementing central slaughtering in Hong Kong to further reduce the chances of human contacts with poultry.
Relevant Government departments had joined hands in cracking down on smuggling of poultry and illegal poultry farms which might increase the risk of H5N1 infections.
Publicity and public education efforts had also been stepped up to remind the public not to have close contact with wild birds and to maintain good personal hygiene after making contact with wild birds.
In addition to making Influenza A H5, A H7 and H9 statutorily notifiable diseases, an influenza surveillance network and sentinel surveillance system were in place to monitor local and global human influenza activities.
Exchanges of information with the Ministry of Health, Guangdong and Macao health authorities as well as temperature screening for incoming travellers were conducted to prevent avian influenza from spreading among human visitors.
Vaccination of backyard poultry was a complicated issue, having regard to the lack of data and information on the number and location on those households that keep backyard poultry and the scientific means of providing a vaccination programme which could afford effective and lifelong protection to those backyard poultry beyond their marketing age of 70 days. In view of the increased risk of avian influenza outbreak caused by backyard poultry, the AFCD had offered voluntary vaccination for backyard poultry in late 2005. However, with increased evidence in overseas countries of avian influenza human cases associated with backyard poultry, the Government had recently decided to impose a ban on backyard poultry keeping activities to protect public health, the spokesman said.
"With such a ban in place, the chances for humans to contract H5N1 from infected poultry could be greatly reduced," the spokesman added.
Ends/Monday, February 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 21:01
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