The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department will launch an H5 avian flu vaccination programme for backyard poultry. Details will be announced in early November.

In the wake of bird flu threat, the department urged people not to keep backyard poultry if they fail to install sufficient bio-security measures, like bird nets, disinfection equipment and segregation of poultry.

The public should contact the department's animal management centres for disposal arrangements. If they want to keep backyard poultry, they should exercise extra caution and wash their hands after contact with the birds.