Culling operation completed
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     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has completed the poultry culling operation by around 11pm today (January 28).

     A total of 22 604 poultry, including 16 984 chickens, 2 898 silky fowls, 1 080 pheasants and 1 642 pigeons were destroyed. They were sent to landfills for disposal.

     Some 50 staff took part in the operation.

     The Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market was thoroughly cleansed and disinfected this morning to prevent the virus from growing and accumulating in the environment.  It will be closed until February 18.

     Local farms are stopped from dispatching chickens to the wholesale market. AFCD would step up inspection on local farms and collect more samples for tests in order to monitor if any of the local farms would be infected.

     Surveillance and monitoring of local chicken farms will be maintained. AFCD has requested all poultry farmers to immediately report abnormalities and adhere strictly to enforcing farm biosecurity measures. AFCD will step up inspection on local farms and collect samples for testing.

Ends/Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Issued at HKT 23:05

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