Bird label system mooted
December 21, 2011
Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow says the Government will consider whether some sort of label, like a ring around chicken feet, should be introduced to allow easy tracing of the birds' source.
He made the statement as Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department officers culled more than 17,000 chickens at the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market today.
He said the trade will be compensated $30 per chicken.
The Government raised the response level for avian influenza from 'alert' to 'serious' after a chicken carcass from the market tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza virus.
Officers are inspecting Hong Kong's 30 chicken farms and have so far found no abnormalities. Samples will be taken from each farm for tests.
The Hospital Authority has raised its alert level to receive patients who might have symptoms of severe influenza, who may have come into contact with birds.
Dr Chow said: "We are already doing the things we need to do according to the contingency plan for avian flu. There is no clause for alarm."
He said tests will be conducted to find whether there is any connection between the dead chicken and similar recent bird deaths.
"With that we will be able to ascertain whether the vaccines we are now using for our chickens will be effective," he said.
The Centre for Health Protection has enhanced surveillance for human influenza A infection and set up a public-enquiry hotline, 2125 1111.
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