Press Releases

Surveillance result on flu virus in poultry
Monday, July 16, 2001

The gene sequencing analysis of the virus isolated from a faecal sample collected from a dead chicken at the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Poultry Wholesale Market on July 2 shows that it is different from the one that caused a large number of deaths among chickens in our retail markets in May. However, the report received by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department shows that it is an H5N1 virus.

Assistant Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Dr Leslie Sims said today (July 16): "The virus isolated this time is also different from the one that caused disease in humans in 1997."

He emphasized that the Administration had, in the past two weeks, been closely monitoring the mortality rate of poultry in wholesale and retail markets.

"While this virus may cause disease in poultry, so far there is no unusual mortality of chickens in our markets," he said.

To protect public health, Hong Kong has already put in place a system of chicken "rest days" to cleanse and disinfect all retail markets. This would prevent any virus from establishing a foothold in our markets.

He noted that there are already three chicken rest days every month at the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market.

"At the retail markets, the first chicken rest day will take place on the 25th of this month. It will take place monthly thereafter and help to break any virus cycle."

The spokesman stressed that avian flu viruses exist in nature and it is not possible to eliminate them. The aim of the Government's surveillance system is to detect possible entry of any avian flu virus into markets at an early stage and to take appropriate action to prevent it from establishing a foothold in the market environment.

In the meantime, Assistant Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Dr Gloria Tam reiterated that avian flu is not a food-borne disease. It is safe to eat chicken.

However, she advised the public to observe good hygiene practices when and after patronising poultry stalls, including avoiding direct contact with faeces of live poultry and washing their hands thoroughly after handling live poultry.