It is impracticable for Hong Kong to implement a "zero live chicken' policy at this stage, Hong Kong Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Carrie Yau said on Saturday, calling on the poultry sector to support preventive measures against bird flu.

Speaking on a radio talkshow on Saturday, Yau said the suspension of live chicken imports from the Chinese mainland should not create any major problem for live poultry sellers, as there are still more than 2 million live chickens in Hong Kong.

The government's preventive measures aim to maintain people's confidence in chicken consumption. Yau said preventive measures will ensure the poultry sector continue to operate.

Yau said to protect public health, the local live chicken stock must be cut and the target is to cap it at two million, otherwise it would be difficult to destroy them promptly should an outbreak occur.

Yau said public support for central slaughtering is rising, and this is the direction of policy development. Yau added that Singapore and northern parts of the Chinese mainland have implemented the measure.

On recent H5N1 cases involving mammals like cats, Yau said there is no reason for fear as the DNAs of cats and human beings are different. She called on people not to abandon their pet cats, but to avoid contact with stray cats and dogs.

Center for Health Protection Principal Medical & Health Officer SK Chuang said the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong experts are trying to trace the source of the human H5N1 case in Guangzhou.

She said the center believes the source was from live poultry, as the victim stayed in a poultry market for a long period before falling ill.

Source: Xinhua