Hong Kong's chicken markets reopen after bird flu clean up
( 2002-02-09 14:12 ) (7 )

Business in poultry markets around Hong Kong was brisk on re-opening Saturday following a one-day government-ordered close down to disinfect stalls to prevent the spread of the potentially-deadly bird flu.

The current outbreak is the third recurrence in five years of bird flu, which leapt the species barrier to kill six people in 1997, and has resulted in the slaughter of around 190,000 chickens in about a week.

Live chickens were on sale again across the territory a day after chicken sellers in markets across Hong Kong used blowtorches and high-powered water jets to wipe out all traces of the virus which has killed hundreds of birds over the past week.

Fears that a fall in supply would lead to extortionate hikes of about 40 percent in chicken prices proved unfounded.

However, chicken buyers scouring the wet markets for bargain poultry in time for Chinese New Year festivities next week were disappointed to find the price per catty had risen some 20 percent to HK$24 (US$3.08) per catty from HK$19,

Hong Kong authorities have voiced confidence they had contained the latest outbreak of avian flu.

Another two farms were found on Friday to have been infected with the virus and their 2,800 chickens were slaughtered, Environment and Food Secretary Lily Yam told legislators. A total of 25 farms have now had cases of the virus in the current outbreak.

Yam said Hong Kong's remaining 121 chicken farms were "safe."

The latest bird flu cases come eight months after an outbreak at wet markets led to the culling of 1.2 million birds at a cost to the government of HK$245 million (US$31.45 million) in compensation.

The first outbreak in 1997 resulted in the culling of 1.4 million birds.

The current epidemic is expected to cost at least HK$5 million in compensation for the slaughter of about 180,000 chickens on farms and 6,000 in markets.