HONG KONG: Health officials yesterday said they will seek the World Health Organization's (WHO) clarification on whether or not it is safe to consume pork.

They said their move has been prompted by a WHO advisory, warning against eating meat products sourced from pigs infected with A (H1N1) flu virus. The global health body said A (H1N1)-contaminated pork is not fit for human consumption.

"We hope to clarify this matter with WHO officials," said Under Secretary for Food and Health Gabriel Leung.

A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said the government has taken the necessary measures to ensure that only healthy pigs are supplied to the market and that pork are fit for human consumption.

The spokesman said all samples, from pigs for sale to the local market, tested negative for the A (H1N1) influenza virus.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said it has completed inspections of all 43 pig farms in Hong Kong. It has also issued guidelines to pig farmers, urging their vigilance and need to impose stringent hygienic standards in their farms.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has asked tenants in public markets and operators of hawker stalls and other licensed premises to take all precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of the A (H1N1) influenza.

As government officials urged vigilance, medical experts meanwhile assured the public that eating pork is not hazardous as long as precautionary measures are taken.

Raymond Yung Wai-hung,president of the Hong Kong Society for Infectious Diseases,said pork should not pose any potential health hazard as long as it is cooked thoroughly before consumption.

While recent government efforts have prevented the potential spread of the virus in the city,preventing its entry may be difficult in the event of a fresh outbreak in Europe and north America, he said.

Yuen Kwok-yung, who heads the microbiology department at the University of Hong Kong,warned that the virus will inevitably be transmitted to Hong Kong from America if the epidemic in that continent persists and in the event of a worsening of the epidemic.

"Hong Kong has frequent business transactions with America which means an outbreak in our community is possible," he said.

Yuen noted, however, that the risk may not be imminent and might be pushed back to winter because the summer season in the US is fast approaching.

"By winter time, anti-swine flu vaccine might be available on the market," he said.

Yuen said parents should take better care of young children as they face risks of infections while at play with other children in playgroups.

"Many parents often bring out their kids to playgrounds during summer. The virus may be transmitted as children have close contacts with each other," he said.

(HK Edition 05/08/2009 page1)