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The Government would resume imports of chilled and frozen ducks and geese, as well as duck and goose eggs from areas outside the zone of 24-kilometre radius of the infected area in Guangdong Province, after assessing the latest situation, a spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said today (September 24).
The Government announced last Monday (September 17) that all imports of chilled and frozen ducks and geese, as well as duck and goose eggs from Guangdong Province would be suspended for one week upon confirmation of an avian influenza case among ducks in Xinzao town, Panyu, Guangzhou.
The Government also suspended for 21 days all imports of live poultry and birds, day-old chicks, poultry eggs, chilled and frozen poultry meat from all farms and processing plants within a 24-kilometre radius of the infected area.
The spokesman said: "The Ministry of Agriculture has provided us with the details and results of the investigation on the avian influenza case. We learned that the death of ducklings from avian influenza was mainly due to insufficient time for them to develop immunity after receiving vaccination. There is no question of a virus mutation or sub-standard vaccines.
"The Guangdong authorities have adopted appropriate control and preventive measures and so far no abnormal death of ducks have occurred. There is no new case of avian influenza infection in farms in Guangdong Province, either.
"The Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau has enhanced inspection and quarantine of live poultry, chilled poultry meat and poultry eggs for supply to Hong Kong. They confirm that so far everything is normal and no problem has been detected."
The spokesman said the decision to partially lift the import suspension was based on the above-mentioned factors.
"We will continue to liaise with the Mainland authorities to pay close attention to the control of avian influenza on the Mainland. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has sent staff to inspect some of the registered farms in Guangdong Province which supply live chickens to Hong Kong," he added.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and FEHD will continue to step up inspection and surveillance of the hygiene conditions in all local live poultry farms, as well as wholesale and retail markets. FEHD has also strengthened the testing of live poultry imported from the Mainland.
AFCD, FEHD, the Customs and Excise Department, the Police and the relevant Mainland authorities would remain vigilant and strive to deter illegal import of poultry and birds to Hong Kong to prevent an increase in the risk of avian influenza outbreak brought by poultry and birds that had not gone through inspection and quarantine.
Ends/Monday, September 24, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:53
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