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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (June 30) reminded tenants of market stalls and operators of fresh provision shops selling live poultry that they had to thoroughly clean and disinfect their premises before resuming business.
Following the detection of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in environmental swabs collected from four markets, the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation declared on June 11 all retail outlets selling live poultry infected places and ordered the culling and disposing of all poultry therein.
"All market stalls and fresh provision shops selling live poultry should be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected to the satisfaction of government veterinary officers before resuming business," an FEHD spokesman said.
"As at 5pm today, hygiene conditions in 169 market stalls (in 44 markets) and 53 fresh provision shops have met the required standard for resuming business on July 2."
The spokesman said all retailers resuming business should comply with the new requirement of no overnight presence of live poultry at the retail outlets between 8pm and 5am the next day. Retailers have to slaughter any live poultry in their premises by 8pm each day and then cleanse and disinfect the premises thoroughly.
Offenders could have their permission revoked, and be subject to a maximum penalty of $50,000 and six months imprisonment.
Ends/Monday, June 30, 2008
Issued at HKT 20:14
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