Source: Xinhua
03-06-2009 14:38
Special Report: Tech MaxHONG KONG, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Thursday said that Hong Kong should continue to stay on full alert and stringently implement various preventive measures against avian influenza which posed an imminent threat to the world community.
"To help achieve such a task, the biosecurity measures of local chicken farms will be vital to minimize the risk of avian influenza," Chow said.
He was commenting on the Epidemiology Report of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) on the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 last December in a chicken farm in Yuen Long in the New Territories.
The Food and Health Bureau set up the Investigation Group on Epidemiological Study following the outbreak. The group released the report on Thursday and made a number of recommendations to further enhance the biosecurity measures of local farms to guard against avian influenza.
Chow said the findings of the report show that stringent biosecurity measures play a crucial role in preventing outbreaks of avian influenza in local farms.
He noted the report made a number of recommendations for improving the biosecurity standards and measures of local farms, such as stepping up inspection on farms and blood tests on chickens to ensure the health of chickens and reduce the chance of farm workers being infected with avian influenza.
He added that the effective implementation of these new measures would hinge on the joint efforts by the chicken farmers and the government which could enhance the farms' capability in safeguarding against avian influenza.
In addition, the government will carry out preventive measures to rigorously guard against avian influenza at various levels, including the import of live chickens, wholesale market and retail outlets, with a view to protecting public health.
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Editor:Yang Jie
