Following the agreement made between the Mainland and Hong Kong, all imported chickens from the Mainland were vaccinated against H5 avian influenza by January 15, 2004. Due to avian influenza outbreaks in the Mainland, a temporary suspension on the importation of live poultry commenced on January 31, 2004.

During the suspension period, the FEHD maintained close liaison with the Mainland authorities. Import of live chickens was resumed on April 20, 2004 and enhanced surveillance was carried out through increased sampling and testing for H5 avian influenza.

To reduce the virus load in retail markets, the FEHD continues to designate two 'rest days' every month 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 have to be slaughtered.

With a view to minimising the risk of an avian flu virus spreading on premises selling live poultry, the department has prescribed additional conditions for operators of fresh provision shops and market stalls selling live poultry. These conditions require the operators to wear full protective clothing including aprons and rubber boots and to wear rubber gloves when handling and bleeding live poultry, to erect a transparent acrylic panel segregating the poultry cages at shop front from the pavement or common passage, and not to knowingly allow or permit customers to touch live poultry. The Government in July 2004 introduced a voluntary scheme offering existing live poultry operators ex-gratia payment on surrendering their fresh provision shop licences with endorsement to sell live poultry or live poultry stall tenancies in the FEHD public markets so as to reduce the number of live poultry stalls at the retail level.

During 2004 the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) temporarily suspended the importation of live birds from 14 countries/territories due to reported outbreaks of avian influenza. These restrictions were released from five countries/territories after they met the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines for freedom from avian influenza. Import protocols were developed for the safe importation of live birds from the People's Republic of China, based on vaccination and certification.

All live birds imported to Hong Kong are required to be tested for avian influenza before shipment and are subject to strict health certification requirements. Imported birds from other countries seen to present a potential risk, such as those neighbouring infected countries, were subject to hold and test measures in quarantine in Hong Kong before release.

Protection of humans, local poultry farms, and wholesale and retail markets against avian influenza in Hong Kong has continued to involve a strategy which, in addition to measures already mentioned, includes greatly enhanced biosecurity in farms and markets, universal vaccination of chickens against H5N1 and intensive surveillance of all bird populations entering or in Hong Kong for early detection of H5N1 virus incursions. The enhanced biosecurity in farms and poultry markets has included birdproofing of farms and a spectrum of measures relating to movement of birds, materials and people to and from farms and markets to prevent incursions of avian influenza viruses into the industry with the ultimate goal of preventing human exposure to avian influenza viruses.

As part of this strategy, samples are collected on a daily to monthly basis from both healthy and sick or dead birds on poultry farms, wholesale poultry markets and retail poultry markets, captive birds in recreation parks, pet birds in pet shops and the Mongkok Bird Garden, and wild birds in wetlands, country parks and elsewhere. These samples are then cultured to detect avian influenza viruses. As a result of the regional outbreak in 2004, the number of surveillance samples for avian influenza testing in pet birds, wild birds and birds in recreation parks was increased. Additionally, to enhance early detection of H5N1 virus incursions, the use of rapid (real-time) PCR testing for H5 virus was increased on local and imported poultry prior to entry to wholesale poultry markets. The AFCD stepped up monitoring and surveillance of local poultry farms during the Mainland outbreak, which included a daily inspection and testing of dead birds picked up from all chicken farms from early February until May. During 2004, AFCD and the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong conducted virus cultures for avian influenza viruses on over 54 800 samples from poultry and other birds and AFCD conducted over 22 900 real-time PCR tests for H5 virus on local and imported poultry.

Due to the suspension of day-old chick imports from the Mainland, the AFCD also assisted local farmers in establishing local hatcheries. During the year, 18 hatcheries were established with a combined capacity of around 1.2 million eggs.

During 2004 H5N1 viruses have only been isolated from three migratory wild birds. There has been no evidence of H5N1 infection in local or imported poultry, pet birds or captive birds in recreation parks despite major outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in the region during 2004.