ENG-2003 — Page 231

FOOD SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

and locally produced chickens. By mid-January 2004, all birds available in the local market will have been vaccinated against H5 avian influenza. The need for continuous vaccination of chickens will be closely monitored.

During the year, the AFCD continued to upgrade the biosecurity standards at local farms to prevent the introduction of the virus there. By the end of April, 36 biosecurity measures had been implemented on all chicken farms. These included the requirements for farmers to install birdproofing facilities in their chicken sheds and disinfecting baths or other disinfecting equipment at their farm gates, segregate the chicken production area from the areas for delivery of feed and its storage, separate different batches of chickens, and designate special areas for loading chickens for transport to market. An additional measure requiring a 500-metre separation for new farms was also introduced. These measures are monitored regularly by the AFCD.

Since March, in order to reduce the virus load in retail markets, the FEHD has designated two 'rest days' every month (from once a month previously) at live poultry retail outlets. On these days, all trading in live poultry is temporarily suspended to facilitate thorough cleansing and disinfection of the outlets. Prior to the ‘rest days', all live poultry in the retail outlets has to be slaughtered.

With a view to minimising the risk of an avian flu virus spreading on premises selling live poultry, the department prescribed additional conditions for operators of fresh provision shops and market stalls selling live poultry. These conditions require the operators to surrender to the department for disposal any dead poultry and live poultry infected with disease, and to remove live poultry to another cage for temporary storage pending the cleansing and disinfection of the cages where the live poultry was originally kept.

In addition to the continuing H5 surveillance programme covering local chicken farms, imported chickens, the wholesale market and retail outlets, the AFCD has extended its surveillance to wild birds, waterfowl in recreational parks and pet birds. on sale in the market. This has further strengthened its capability to detect the presence of any H5 viruses in the environment and the possible reassortment of the viruses, and enables appropriate and timely measures to be taken.

Markets and Cooked Food Markets

The FEHD operates 105 public markets (including 24 free-standing cooked food markets) with about 12 300 occupied stalls selling commodities ranging from fresh food to household items.

To improve the cleanliness of public markets, the department enhanced the intensive cleansing of common areas and facilities and inspection of their cleanliness. A monthly cleansing day was introduced from November under which stall tenants are required to thoroughly cleanse their own stalls to a level acceptable to the FEHD. A new streamlined system of sanction took effect in November, whereby warning letters are issued to operators who have breached tenancy conditions.

Hawkers

The FEHD maintains control over hawking activities in Hong Kong. During the year, 90 503 raids were carried out and 18 867 convictions secured in the courts for offences related to hawking.

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