If the H5N1 virus were found in a dead chicken in Hong Kong, or if a person was confirmed to have the virus, the Government would cull all live poultry, Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Carrie Yau told legislators this morning.

Speaking at the Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene, Mrs Yau said, if such a situation occurred, live poultry farmers, wholesalers and retailers may be compensated on the same terms as in the early 2002 outbreak.

She said the culling activities at local farms would be more extensive than those at the wholesale market and retail outlets because of a much larger poultry population at farms.

As of February 5, there were a total of 151 licensed chicken farms involving a chicken population of nearly 2.7 million and a total of 48 licensed pigeon farms involving a pigeon population of 180,000.

She said if bird flu appears in Hong Kong chickens or people, the farms would be depopulated in an orderly manner, with priority accorded to the farm(s) affected by or associated with the case of infection. At the same time, birds at the wholesale market and retail outlets would also be killed.

Many departments would help in event of chicken cull

She said the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau would be responsible for policy formulation and overall coordination of the exercise.

The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department would take charge of the culling operation at farms and the wholesale market. The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department would oversee the culling operation at retail outlets.

Other government departments such as the Police, Civil Aid Service, Department of Health, Environmental Protection Department and the Government Logistics Department would help out in the operation or provide professional advice, support services and/or facilities.

Government concerned about poultry trade

Mrs Yau said the Government is highly concerned about the poultry trade's situation, adding that it has not decided whether to offer any form of assistance to them.

She added that the present situation is different from the experiences of 1997, 2001 and 2002 and the Government is now facing a deficit.

In addition, the World Health Organisation warned that avian influenza may become endemic in Asia.

So it has to be careful in deciding any form of assistance, if any, she added.

Mainland, US poultry imports to remain banned

Mrs Yau stressed that according to international standards, the Government could only consider lifting the import ban on poultry 21 days after the last outbreak in a particular area or country.

She said the Government will not bow to political pressure in lifting the ban, adding that the only consideration is public health.