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Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after attending a public function this afternoon (September 3):
Reporter: (On resumption of import of Mainland live poultry and avian influenza A(H7N9) in the coming winter)
Secretary for Food and Health: Regarding the epidemic of avian influenza A(H7N9) on the Mainland, although the transmissions have been discontinued for two months during the summer period, experts foresee that when winter or cooler seasons come, there will certainly be sporadic cases of human infection of avian influenza A(H7N9) in some places of the Mainland. I think it is important that we maintain a high degree of vigilance, in particular when we are about to resume the import of live poultry from the Mainland. We must adopt the same infection control measures for avian influenza A(H7N9) as those against high prevalence avian influenza.
Regarding when we can confirm the resumption of import of Mainland live poultry to Hong Kong, and whether we could resume the import before the Mid-Autumn Festival, although I cannot announce the date or time for such resumption up to this particular moment, I can afford to be a little bit positive because a lot of work has been done indeed at the front line, particularly in those poultry farms in Guangdong Province, to prepare for such resumption. I am more hopeful today.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Issued at HKT 20:04
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