Press Releases
No live poultry at retail outlets overnight under new law
The Government would amend legislation to require no live poultry be kept at
retail outlets overnight to protect public health and further reduce the risk
posed by avian influenza.
Gazetted today (June 27), the Food Business (Amendment) Regulation 2008 provides
that all people permitted by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene to
sell live poultry by retail - public market stalls and fresh provision shops
selling live poultry - must slaughter any live poultry remaining in their
stalls/shops by 8pm every day. Live poultry will not be allowed at such premises
from 8pm to 5am the next day.
Offenders could have their permission revoked, and be subject to a maximum
penalty of $50,000 and six months imprisonment.
On top of no overnight stocking of live poultry at retail outlets, retailers are
also required to thoroughly cleanse and disinfect the retail premises every
night and strictly adhere to existing measures such as wearing protective gear.
Not observing these requirements will result in cancellation of the licence or
tenancy.
Elaborating on the legislative amendment, a spokesman for the Food and Health
Bureau said there was an imperative need to enhance the ability to arrest any
possible spread of avian influenza in Hong Kong in future, thereby reducing the
risks of human infection of avian influenza.
Past experience has shown that the principal mode of transmission of the avian
influenza virus from poultry to human is through contact with live poultry or
their faeces. The most effective way to minimise the health risk posed by avian
influenza was to reduce as much as possible the contact between human and live
poultry, the spokesman said.
"Scientific research shows that when a chicken is infected by the avian
influenza virus, there is an incubation period of one to five days when the
virus can multiply to a sufficient number to be detectable in the excreta.
"If we require that there is no live poultry at retail outlets overnight, the
chicken will be slaughtered to avoid accumulation of virus in the environment of
the retail outlets. This in turn can better protect public health," he said.
The amendment regulation will be tabled in the Legislative Council and come into
effect on July 2.
Ends/Friday, June 27, 2008
Issued at HKT 10:33
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