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The Government would amend legislation to require no live poultry be kept at retail outlets overnight to protect public health and further reduce the risk posed by avian influenza.
Gazetted today (June 27), the Food Business (Amendment) Regulation 2008 provides that all people permitted by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene to sell live poultry by retail - public market stalls and fresh provision shops selling live poultry - must slaughter any live poultry remaining in their stalls/shops by 8pm every day. Live poultry will not be allowed at such premises from 8pm to 5am the next day.
Offenders could have their permission revoked, and be subject to a maximum penalty of $50,000 and six months imprisonment.
On top of no overnight stocking of live poultry at retail outlets, retailers are also required to thoroughly cleanse and disinfect the retail premises every night and strictly adhere to existing measures such as wearing protective gear. Not observing these requirements will result in cancellation of the licence or tenancy.
Elaborating on the legislative amendment, a spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said there was an imperative need to enhance the ability to arrest any possible spread of avian influenza in Hong Kong in future, thereby reducing the risks of human infection of avian influenza.
Past experience has shown that the principal mode of transmission of the avian influenza virus from poultry to human is through contact with live poultry or their faeces. The most effective way to minimise the health risk posed by avian influenza was to reduce as much as possible the contact between human and live poultry, the spokesman said.
"Scientific research shows that when a chicken is infected by the avian influenza virus, there is an incubation period of one to five days when the virus can multiply to a sufficient number to be detectable in the excreta.
"If we require that there is no live poultry at retail outlets overnight, the chicken will be slaughtered to avoid accumulation of virus in the environment of the retail outlets. This in turn can better protect public health," he said.
The amendment regulation will be tabled in the Legislative Council and come into effect on July 2.
Ends/Friday, June 27, 2008
Issued at HKT 10:33
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