February 13, 2004

 

 

Hong Kong Prepared For Mass Culling Upon Bird Flu Detection

 

Hong Kong intends to cull its entire poultry stock even if only a single case of bird flu is found in birds or human, a government spokeswoman said.

 

The contingency plan was established to ensure Hong Kong remains free of H5N1 and other bird flu viruses that have infected 10 Asian countries and the US, killing at least 19 people.

 

The government will order the mass cull of the city's estimated 2.7 million poultry birds at 199 chicken and pigeon farms should the flu virus be detected within the former British territory.

 

"In the event of a case of H5N1 virus being found in a dead chicken or detection of a local H5N1 human infection ... we will cull all live poultry to prevent the spread of avian influenza and to minimise the risk of human infections," a paper presented to the city's legislature states.

 

Once an infection is discovered the government will declare all farms, wholesalers and markets infected areas, allowing them to begin the cull. Farms will also be placed under quarantine.

 

Hong Kong's cull of two million chickens in 1997 to end an outbreak that killed six people has been praised by World Health Organisation (WHO) officials battling the outbreaks as a model response.

 

The UN agency says mass slaughter is the only way of ensuring the disease does not spread.

 

Hong Kong has fought valiantly to keep the bird flu from its shores.

 

It has banned poultry imports from infected countries, imposed strict health checks on visitors entering the city and subjected poultry farmers, wholesalers and market traders to stringent hygiene inspections.

 

The moves have had a devastating effect on the local poultry industry, which has seen demand slide from about 150,000 chickens a day to just 27,000.

 

The government was forced to reiterate its tough stance Thursday as chicken workers staged a noisy street protest calling for the lifting of the import ban on neighbouring China -- the source of most of Hong Kong's poultry.

 

"Public health will have to remain the over-riding principle," said health secretary Carrie Yau rejecting the calls.