Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HONGKONG275
2009-02-12 09:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:
MAINLAND POULTRY WASHES UP ON HONG KONG'S SHORES
how-toVZCZCXRO9888 PP RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC DE RUEHHK #0275 0430931 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 120931Z FEB 09 FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6880 INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 3937 RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 1768 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 7596 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1390 RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH PRIORITY 0835 RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 0417 RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
UNCLAS HONG KONG 000275
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, AIWG, OES/IHA, MED; HHS FOR OGHA -
STEIGER, HICKEY; CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED EAGR KFLU PINR TBIO HK CH
SUBJECT: MAINLAND POULTRY WASHES UP ON HONG KONG'S SHORES
UNCLAS HONG KONG 000275
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, AIWG, OES/IHA, MED; HHS FOR OGHA -
STEIGER, HICKEY; CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED EAGR KFLU PINR TBIO HK CH
SUBJECT: MAINLAND POULTRY WASHES UP ON HONG KONG'S SHORES
1.(U) Between 29 January and 9 February, 33 bird carcasses
washed up on isolated stretches of Hong Kong,s western
coastline, including at least 19 domesticated chickens and
six domesticated ducks. Eleven of the birds have tested
positive for Avian Influenza to date (nine confirmed H5N1).
Local media speculate the birds may have been dumped by
smugglers trying to bring them to Hong Kong over the Lunar
New Year. Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department (AFCD) officials continue to aggressively search
the beaches and villages along the shoreline where the birds
were found, but have yet to confirm their origin. Health
authorities do not believe there is an immediate increased
health risk as long as individuals avoid contact with dead or
sick birds and take normal health precautions.
2.(SBU) The Director of AFCD told EconOff on February 10 that
most of the birds were severely decomposed and appeared to
have drifted for some time before washing up on Lantau
Island,s western shore. The majority of the birds were
found in three groups discovered close together on February
2nd and 3rd. She confirmed smuggling was a possible source
but believed this was unlikely, as drift pattern studies put
the birds far from normal smuggling routes. She speculated
the birds may have been deliberately dumped in the Pearl
River or its tributaries in mainland China by farmers seeking
to avoid detection and the subsequent culling of their
livestock.
DONOVAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, AIWG, OES/IHA, MED; HHS FOR OGHA -
STEIGER, HICKEY; CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED EAGR KFLU PINR TBIO HK CH
SUBJECT: MAINLAND POULTRY WASHES UP ON HONG KONG'S SHORES
1.(U) Between 29 January and 9 February, 33 bird carcasses
washed up on isolated stretches of Hong Kong,s western
coastline, including at least 19 domesticated chickens and
six domesticated ducks. Eleven of the birds have tested
positive for Avian Influenza to date (nine confirmed H5N1).
Local media speculate the birds may have been dumped by
smugglers trying to bring them to Hong Kong over the Lunar
New Year. Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department (AFCD) officials continue to aggressively search
the beaches and villages along the shoreline where the birds
were found, but have yet to confirm their origin. Health
authorities do not believe there is an immediate increased
health risk as long as individuals avoid contact with dead or
sick birds and take normal health precautions.
2.(SBU) The Director of AFCD told EconOff on February 10 that
most of the birds were severely decomposed and appeared to
have drifted for some time before washing up on Lantau
Island,s western shore. The majority of the birds were
found in three groups discovered close together on February
2nd and 3rd. She confirmed smuggling was a possible source
but believed this was unlikely, as drift pattern studies put
the birds far from normal smuggling routes. She speculated
the birds may have been deliberately dumped in the Pearl
River or its tributaries in mainland China by farmers seeking
to avoid detection and the subsequent culling of their
livestock.
DONOVAN