Press Releases

H5 virus found in a Pat Heung farm
Friday, January 31, 2003

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) confirmed that two samples from a chicken farm in Pat Heung were tested positive for H5 avian influenza virus.

The farmer reported to the AFCD earlier that some 40 medium chickens were found dead in two sheds in the farm. Twelve swabs were taken from the dead chickens for laboratory testing. The test result which was available last night (January 30) indicated the presence of H5 avian influenza virus in two swab samples.

The farm was immediately quarantined last night and the farmer was not allowed to sell any chickens.

"The farmer culled all the 8 300 chickens in the sheds where the dead chickens were found. The AFCD helped to dispose of them in the landfill.

"The remaining 32 000 chickens that are housed in other sheds show no clinical symptoms of infection.

"The marketable chickens that were last delivered to the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market were kept in separate sheds from the ones in which dead chickens were found. They have passed clinical examination and blood test before they were sent to the market," a spokesman for the AFCD said.

Vaccination has been introduced to the farm on January 8 to control the spread of avian influenza. All young chickens have to be vaccinated twice. The young chickens on the farm were given the first dosage three weeks ago. A booster has to be injected 28 days after the first injection to achieve the best effect.

he spokesman stressed that vaccination should not be seen as the only and ultimate solution to tackle avian influenza. The mainstay of measures to deal with the disease should be heightened farm biosecurity, stringent hygienic practices in farms and markets and an effective surveillance system.

"The AFCD would continue to inspect all the chicken farms in Pat Heung and Ta Kwu Ling even on holidays. We are on full alert and will take appropriate actions as and when required," the spokesman said.