Press Releases
SFH on avian influenza (with photo)
Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and
Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after the meeting of the steering committee on
response level under the Preparedness Plan for Influenza Pandemic today
(June 6):
Reporter: How long will the suspension go on and did you discuss at the
meeting how the days would be calculated?
Secretary for Food and Health: The meeting decided that local live poultry
trade could only be resumed after we have completed the inspection of all
local poultry farms as well as all specimens taken from these farms were
tested to be negative.
Reporter: How would the days be calculated once a specimen was ...?
Secretary for Food and Health: Normally the 21-day suspension period counts
from the date when the specimen was confirmed positive. However, the
specimen concerned was taken on May 16 and the 21-day period has already
passed. So, we have decided that local live poultry trade could be resumed
the earliest when inspections of all local poultry farms are completed and
all specimens were confirmed negative.
Reporter: There are criticisms that the Government has overreacted in
follow-up actions because there is only one sample found in the retail
point. What do you make of these criticisms?
Secretary for Food and Health: I think the explanation given by Professor
Yuen Kwok-yung earlier on regarding the characteristics of H7N9 infection is
adequate to tell why the Government maintains a very stringent level of
surveillance and tight control of H7N9 virus. Whilst the virus is of low
pathogenicity in poultry, it is of relatively high pathogenicity when human
beings are infected.
(Please also refer to the
Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, June 6, 2016
Issued at HKT 19:13
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