Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ19: Precautions against avian influenza
Following is a question by the Hon Frederick Fung Kin-kee and a written reply by
the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council
today (February 27):
Question:
Regarding cases of avian influenza infections, will the Government inform this
Council:
(a) of the information about the cases of birds and human beings being infected
with avian influenza viruses on the Mainland and in Hong Kong in the past six
months tabulated in Annex I.
(b) given that avian influenza virus was found in a bird carcass recently
collected at the Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Food Market, and that area is infested
with house crows all along, apart from the existing measures (including cleaning
markets and alerting poultry farmers and poultry farm workers), how the
authorities will further prevent infected birds from coming into contact with
poultry and house crows, whether they will consider raising the level of the
contingency measures, and what measures the authorities have in place to
especially assist the residents of the affected areas; and
(c) given that it has been reported that due to the surge in local prices of
products, some members of the public will cross the boundary to buy poultry
meats not thoroughly cooked on the Mainland and bring them back to Hong Kong,
what follow-up measures the authorities have in place, and whether they will
consider educating the public to make them aware that they may bring avian
influenza virus to Hong Kong through those meats?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) Information about the cases of birds and human beings being infected with
avian influenza viruses in the Mainland and in Hong Kong in the past six months
is tabulated in Annex II.
(b) Regarding the incident in which the carcass of an Oriental Magpie Robin
carrying avian influenza virus was collected in the vicinity of the Cheung Sha
Wan Wholesale Food Market, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department (AFCD) immediately took away the carcass the day it was found and
submitted it for testing, so as to minimise the risk of other birds or members
of the public coming into contact with the carcass. In light of the incident,
the AFCD conducted a thorough cleansing cum disinfection operation in both the
Wholesale Food Market and the Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market in Cheung Sha
Wan. The AFCD also reminded poultry farmers, pet bird shop owners, licence
holders of pet poultry and racing pigeons to take proper precautions. In
addition, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has stepped up
its street cleansing operations in the Cheung Sha Wan area in order to maintain
good environmental hygiene.
As the poultry for sale in Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market are
all kept in poultry cages, the risk of direct contact between these poultry and
outside birds is minimal. Moreover, since all the chickens in the market have
been vaccinated against avian influenza, their risk of being infected with avian
influenza virus through contact with infected birds is low. Nevertheless, the
AFCD will remain highly vigilant. It will step up inspections and surveillance
of the wholesale poultry market and remind wholesalers to maintain good hygiene
and take proper precautions against avian influenza.
We are aware of the concern of the residents in Sham Shui Po over the roosting
of house crows in the district. The AFCD has already held several discussions
with the Sham Shui Po District Council on the issue and implemented measures to
reduce the number of house crows. These measures include the removal of eggs and
chicks during the breeding seasons and baiting. Since 2004, a total of 552 house
crow eggs/chicks have been removed from the Kowloon City and Sham Shui Po
Districts. As at the end of 2007, a total of 281 house crows have been caught by
the AFCD. The AFCD will maintain regular contact with the Sham Shui Po District
Council and assess the effectiveness of these measures and ways to enhance it.
For contingency measures, the Government issued in early 2005 a plan entitled
"Emergency Preparedness Plan for Influenza Pandemic in Hong Kong" to enhance
Government and community preparedness to cope with avian/pandemic influenza
emergencies. The plan includes a three-level response system, i.e. Alert
Response Level, Serious Response Level and Emergency Response Level. The Alert
Response Level applies when there is confirmation of highly pathogenic avian
influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in poultry populations outside Hong Kong, or when
there is confirmation of HPAI in imported birds in quarantine, in wild birds, in
recreational parks, in pet bird shops or in the natural environment in Hong
Kong. In view of the recent confirmed cases of wild birds infected with avian
influenza virus, the Government has activated the Alert Response Level according
to the contingency plan.
(c) According to the World Health Organisation, all the available evidence
suggests that the vast majority of H5N1 human cases were caused by infection
through direct contact with infected live or dead poultry. At present, there is
no evidence indicating that properly cooked poultry or eggs can be a source of
infection. However, as the poultry or eggs may have been contaminated by
bacteria or viruses, they may pose a certain degree of food safety risk when not
properly cooked.
The import of frozen/chilled poultry meat is subject to control under the
Imported Game, Meat and Poultry Regulation (Cap 132AK). Import of all
frozen/chilled poultry meat must be accompanied with an import permission and
import licence as well as an official health certificate. This control measure
is also applicable to undercooked poultry meat. Therefore, anyone who imports
undercooked poultry meat, whether for his/her own consumption or sale, without
an official health certificate or import licence commits an offence. The
Government has put up posters and large warning notices at all major land
boundary control points, seaports and the Hong Kong International Airport to
remind the public not to import meat and poultry illegally.
Apart from carrying out inspection duties at boundary control points, the Centre
for Food Safety also conducts joint operations with the Customs and Excise
Department (C&ED) to crack down on illegal import of poultry. In 2007, a total
of 76 visitors entering Hong Kong through land boundary control points or the
Hong Kong International Airport were prosecuted for bringing in fresh/chilled
poultry without an official health certificate.
Moreover, under the Quarantine Detector Dog Programme jointly introduced by the
AFCD and the Centre for Food Safety, detector dogs have been deployed to various
boundary control points since Chinese New Year to help detect the illegal import
of animal and meat products into Hong Kong. The Centre for Food Safety will
continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate enforcement actions when
necessary.
In addition to the enforcement actions mentioned above, the Government has from
time to time been educating the public on safety in food consumption and on the
need to cook poultry meat thoroughly before consumption through food safety
talks, leaflets, mobile broadcasts, websites and television announcements of
public interest etc. The public are also advised to note that when cooking, the
centre of poultry meat should be heated up to above 70�J and be cooked
continuously for at least two minutes at that temperature level. If there are
pinkish juices running from the cooked poultry or the middle parts of the bones
are still red in colour, they should cook the poultry again until fully done. As
a precautionary measure against avian influenza infection, the public are also
advised to observe good personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times to
avoid cross-contamination.
Ends/Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:22
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