The Health, Welfare & Food Bureau says many measures against bird flu suggested in a New Zealand expert's report in 2004 have been implemented, adding the report was only a qualitative assessment for internal reference.

In response to press enquiries, the bureau said the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department had commissioned Professor Roger Morris, the Director of Massey University EpiCentre, to look into the risk of avian influenza in Hong Kong in 2003.

Major recommendations

The study, submitted to the Government in 2004, recommended measures to reduce the risk of a bird flu outbreak in Hong Kong, including:

* replacing all live imported chickens with chilled products;

* enhancinge biosecurity within and outside Hong Kong poultry-production systems, in retail markets and during the transportation process;

* modifying live-bird marketing by reducing the number of retail chicken stalls and separating wholesale markets for local and Mainland chickens;

* reducing human exposure to wild-bird viruses;

* modifying interaction among various host species;

* using vaccines to maximum effect;

* reducing illegal and other uncontrolled sources of avian flu entry; and

* taking measures to manage the risks of the virus's introduction and dissemination in human visitors.

Since the report was not a quantitative assessment and further data research is neededcessary, it was used for internal reference, the bureau said.

Preventive measures implemented

The Government has adopted measures including implementing stringent biosecurity requirements in local farms as well as hygiene requirements for wholesale and retail markets. All chickens sold in Hong Kong are subject to vaccination.

The Government is also in regular discussions with the Mainland to ensure only those registered farms which comply with Hong Kong's import requirements can supply chickens to Hong Kong.

The Government is also considering implementing central slaughtering in Hong Kong to reduce the chances of direct people-poultry contact.

In view of the increased risk of a bird flu outbreak caused by backyard poultry, the department offered voluntary vaccination for backyard poultry in late 2005. However, since there was increased evidence in overseas countries of  bird flu in people associated with backyard poultry, the Government recently imposed a ban on backyard poultry-keeping activities to protect public health.