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The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has completed the poultry culling operation at the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market by 10.30pm today (December 21).
A total of 19,451 poultry, including 15,569 chickens, 1,122 silky fowls, 1,950 pheasants and 810 pigeons were destroyed. They were sent to the South East New Territories Landfill in Tseung Kwan O for disposal.
Some 40 staff took part in the operation.
The wholesale market was thoroughly cleansed and disinfected this morning to prevent the virus from growing and accumulating in the environment. It will be closed until January 12, 2012.
Local farms are stopped from dispatching chickens to the wholesale market. AFCD has inspected all 30 chicken farms in Hong Kong and no abnormality had been detected so far. Test results available today showed that the samples collected from chicken farms were free of avian influenza virus. AFCD will continue to conduct testing.
Surveillance and monitoring of local chicken farms will be maintained. AFCD has requested all poultry farmers to immediately report the presence of sick and dead poultry and adhere strictly to enforcing farm biosecurity measures.¡@AFCD will step up inspection on local farms and collect samples for testing.
Ends/Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Issued at HKT 23:02
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