4/1/13
Hong Kong (HKSAR) - In view of the three confirmed human cases of
influenza A (H7N9) in the Mainland, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of
the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will closely liaise with
the Mainland authorities over any abnormal situation concerning farms
supplying chickens and pigs to Hong Kong, and take appropriate actions
whenever necessary to protect public health, a CFS spokesman said today
(April 1).
The CFS spokesman said, "All live chickens and pigs,
and chilled and frozen poultry/meat imported from the Mainland must come
from farms and poultry/meat processing plants registered with the
inspection and quarantine authorities and to be accompanied with animal
health certificates issued by the Mainland authorities concerned.
"CFS
officers will be deployed to inspect those registered farms and
poultry/meat processing plants to ensure their management complies with
the relevant hygienic requirements. Each consignment will be released
only after the poultry/meat has been inspected and relevant health
certificates verified at the Man Kam To Food Control Office.
"On
each consignment of live chickens, the CFS will conduct random tests for
avian influenza while live pigs have to go through ante-mortem and
post-mortem inspections in slaughterhouses. Only pigs that pass the
inspections will be supplied to the market and sold for consumption," he
said.
The spokesman said, under the Imported Game, Meat and Poultry Regulations (Cap.
132AK), those who import game, meat or poultry without health
certificates commit an offence and are liable to a maximum fine of
$50,000 and six months' imprisonment.
"The CFS will closely keep
in view of the latest development. Depending on further information
about the infection channels in the cases to be established by the
health authorities concerned, detail arrangements of appropriate actions
and measures will be formulated," the spokesman added.
Source: HKSAR Government
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