January 13, 2004

Hong Kong Bans Korean Chickens Following Bird Flu

Hong Kong has banned chicken imports from South Korea and is considering a similar ban against Japanese poultry following outbreaks of a disease that has killed thousands of the birds.

Television networks TVB and ATV quoted Hong Kong health officials as saying the ban on South Korean chicken imports was imposed after the bird flu emerged in some parts of Asia. It wasn't clear when the ban took effect.

Hong Kong government officials didn't immediately return calls from the Associated Press seeking comment.

Thousands of chickens died of the virus Tuesday in South Korea, where an outbreak last month led to the slaughter of 1.1 million chickens and ducks in an attempt to contain the disease.

In Japan, officials said 6,000 chickens had died from the bird flu and thousands more would be slaughtered.

Vietnam has also reported cases of the disease, and health officials suspect that the flu may have been transmitted to humans, killing 11 people in the capital, Hanoi. Hong Kong doesn't import chickens from Vietnam.

Hong Kong has been watchful for any outbreaks of bird flu since a strain in 1997 crossed over from poultry to humans, prompting the government to slaughter 1.4 million chickens to eradicate the disease.

Since then, it has imposed measures improving hygiene in the territory's markets that sell live poultry and vaccinating chickens against the virus.