A Food & Environmental Hygiene Department staff member who felt unwell after participating in the recent chicken cull has tested negative in the bird flu quick-test, the department's Deputy Director Alice Lau says.

On a radio programme today, Ms Lau said the staff member was responsible for taking away the culled poultry, and is at Princess Margaret Hospital for further observation. No other colleagues concerned have reported sick.

On tracing the infection source for the bird flu found in four markets, she said inspections showed eight Mainland poultry farms were operating normally. Investigation of 10 others which supply live chickens to Hong Kong is ongoing.

The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department also found chickens at local farms were all healthy.

In view of this, Ms Lau did not rule out the possibility of chicken smuggling, noting the proposal to prohibit unsold live chickens from being kept at markets overnight can break the virus accumulation and transmission cycle, and help deter smuggling through daily intake monitoring.

Compensation negotiations continue

On the industry's call to increase compensation for implementing the proposal, she suggested they provide more specific and objective data as public money is involved.

Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Deputy Director Lau Sin-pang and Assistant Director Dr Thomas Sit said due to the 21-day poultry sale suspension, the growth of chickens may lead to over-congestion at local farms.

Dr Sit said his department can help cull some of these chickens on humanitarian grounds, as it did in 2001,and may offer compensation.