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P 200216Z DEC 06
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9849
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1086
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HONG KONG 004780 
 
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SIPDIS 
 
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STATE FOR EAP/CM CITRON, PENG 
STATE FOR EAP/EP TWANG 
STATE FOR INR/EAP AND OES 
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STATE FOR M/MED AND M/MEDEX PETER WOOD 
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STATE PLEASE PASS TO USDA FOR DU/US LAMBERT 
BEIJING FOR DSELIGSOHN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON TBIO SENV EAGR AMED KFLU HK CH
SUBJECT: HONG KONG AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) Summary:  In late December, the Hong Kong 
government (HKG) will submit a revised paper on Hong Kong,s 
Avian Influenza (AI) preparations to the Hong Kong 
Legislative Council (Legco).  Bonnie Yau, Assistant Secretary 
responsible for AI at the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau 
(HWFB), provided Econoff an advance overview of the paper in 
which she stated that Hong Kong has a four-pronged strategy 
to respond to the AI threat during the upcoming migratory 
bird season: 1) limiting contact between humans and poultry, 
and between poultry and wild birds, 2) early detection in 
animal and human populations, 3) improved preparedness and 
response to a regional or global pandemic, and 4) increased 
collaboration with mainland China, Macau and international 
health agencies. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Bonnie Yau, Assistant Secretary (Health), at the 
Health, Welfare and Food Department, told Econoff that the 
HKG is preparing for the annual rise in migratory bird 
arrivals that usually occurs in January/February and 
increases the risk of an AI outbreak in Southern China.  Yau 
said that Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China have stepped up 
monitoring and collaboration efforts to respond to a possible 
outbreak. 
 
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Limited Contact of Poultry with Humans and Migratory Birds 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Yau stated that Hong Kong has achieved significant 
results in reducing the AI threat.  The Hong Kong 
government,s (HKG) &voluntary surrender scheme8 for 
poultry farmers, wholesalers, and retailers has successfully 
reduced both the farm poultry population and the number of 
live chicken sellers in Hong Kong.  Under this program, 146 
farmers have surrendered operating licenses for cash. 
Subsequently, Hong Kong,s farm poultry population dropped 
from approximately 4 million to 1.7 million birds.  The 
number of live poultry wholesalers has also dropped from 86 
to 70, while 348 out of 814 live poultry retailers have 
ceased operations.  These reductions allow the HKG to 
reallocate resources to increase monitoring and hygiene 
inspection at remaining farms and sales outlets. 
 
¶4. (U) The HKG increased biosecurity measures.  It requires 
farms to &bird proof8 poultry areas to prevent interaction 
and infection between farm stocks and wild birds.  It also 
mandates full vaccination of all poultry stocks in Hong Kong, 
implements strong import controls for chickens from mainland 
China, and increases inspections of mainland farms by HKG 
officials.  In addition, wholesale and retail markets have 
strict measures to mitigate the AI threat.  All market 
vehicles, cages, and sales areas undergo daily disinfection; 
the number of chickens allowed in each cage has been limited 
to prevent overcrowding; all markets also must cease 
operations twice each month for thorough cleaning and 
inspection. 
 
¶5. (U) In February 2006, the HKG banned the keeping of 
backyard poultry with hefty fines of up to HK$100,000 
(approx. US$13,000).  However, Hong Kong has allowed a 
limited number of exemptions (31) for people who owned pet 
chickens, geese, ducks or pigeons before the ban. 
 
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Early Detection and Prevention 
------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (U) As part of its ongoing surveillance and testing 
program, the HKG regularly tests bird samples from wholesale 
markets, pet bird shops, and imported bird suppliers with 
approximately 600 birds tested randomly per month.  Imported 
chickens are tested both for the H5N1 virus as well as for 
the effectiveness of vaccines.  Since implementing this 
program in 2004, 130,000 live poultry have been tested.  All 
tests have been negative for H5N1.  The HKG also opened a 
hotline for the general public to report sick or dead wild 
birds.  Through this program, Agriculture, Fisheries and 
 
HONG KONG 00004780  002 OF 003 
 
 
Conservation Department (AFCD) workers collected and tested 
approximately 11,000 birds, of which only 17 were found to 
contain an AI virus.  To limit the potential for human 
infection, the HKG also has drawn up plans to close local 
nature reserves if a bird is found to be infected within a 
three-kilometer radius of the reserve. 
 
¶7. (U) Three entities (Center for Health Protection and two 
hospitals) have been identified as testing laboratories for 
all suspected AI cases.  Three additional hospitals are 
capable of conducting rapid tests.  Due to Hong Kong,s role 
as a WHO testing center, the Center for Health Protection 
(CHP) collaborates with other laboratories around the world 
to monitor avian influenza outside of the region. 
 
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AI Preparedness and Response 
---------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Hong Kong is stockpiling anti-virals (Tamiflu) as 
part of its preparedness plan.  Hong Kong ) through the 
Department of Health and Hospital Authority ) currently has 
14 million doses and expects to reach its target of 20 
million doses in 2007.  The HKG is also looking into building 
commercial vaccine production facilities in Hong Kong.  These 
facilities would produce normal influenza vaccines, but could 
be converted to produce anti-virals and other drugs necessary 
during an AI outbreak. 
 
¶9. (U) Hong Kong regularly conducts interdepartmental 
preparedness and response drills.  The Department of Health 
conducted an AI drill in September 2006 that involved the 
Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (HWFB), the Hospital 
Authority, and Fire Services Department.  AFCD and the 
Department of Health had a poultry culling drill in October 
2006, while the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department 
(FEHD) organized another culling exercise in December 2006. 
Yau stated that these drills are essential to remind 
emergency response workers of proper infection control 
techniques during a possible human or animal outbreak.  The 
Hong Kong Airport Authority and ferry terminal operators have 
also held joint AI exercises with the government and industry 
stakeholders. 
 
¶10. (U) Hong Kong also conducts regular public awareness 
programs on AI through television, press and street 
advertising.  It has published AI preparation guidelines in 
Chinese (both traditional and simplified) and English.  The 
HKG,s AI factsheet is available online on the HWFB website 
(www.hwfb.gov.hk) in 22 languages, including those of Hong 
Kong,s minority populations (Urdu, Nepali, Vietnamese, 
Hindi, Thai, Tagalog, Indonesian, and a variety of others). 
 
 
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Collaboration with mainland China, Macau and others 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶10. (SBU) Hong Kong signed agreements with the Mainland and 
Macau to promote intelligence sharing prior to and in the 
event of an outbreak.  The HKG also conducts joint exercises 
with Macau and mainland China to test the communication and 
response systems among the three jurisdictions.  Yau stated 
that coordination with the mainland has improved, 
particularly on the local level with Guangdong province. 
Collaboration with Macau is also very good, although Yau 
informed Econoff that she remains concerned that there were 
only two hospitals in Macau to deal with a potential human 
outbreak.  The Macau Special Administrative Region 
government, with its much smaller infrastructure, also 
appears to lack the same level of human resources as the HKG 
in managing the AI threat.  Nevertheless, Yau predicted that 
Macau &is in fine shape, so long as neighboring Zhuhai does 
not have a major outbreak.8  (NOTE:  Post plans further AI 
outreach with the Macau and a separate report on Macau AI 
preparations in the new year.) 
 
 
HONG KONG 00004780  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶11. (SBU) Hong Kong also sends infectious disease experts to 
places that have experienced AI outbreaks to study local 
responses and provide assistance.  In the region, the HKG 
remains concerned about the ability of some of its neighbors 
to respond to a pandemic.  Yau cited Indonesia as a country 
of particular concern. 
Cunningham