A 23-year-old woman working in Little Boss, a pet shop in Causeway Bay, was recently diagnosed with the Delta variant of the virus.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said today (18th) that 11 hamster samples from Little Boss in Causeway Bay were initially positive for the new coronavirus. It was positive, and the female clerk had never been there.
The authorities decided to seize all the animals in the warehouses of Little Boss in Causeway Bay and Tai Po for testing, and then conduct humane treatment, that is, kill the animals.
In addition, all pet shops in Hong Kong that sell hamsters must be closed, and the hamsters sold must also be handled humanely. It is estimated that a total of 2,000 hamsters and small animals are involved.
The AFCD also urges the public to hand over hamsters to the AFCD for humane treatment if they have purchased hamsters from pet stores in Hong Kong after December 22 last year.
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Chinchilla and rabbit samples tested negative
The Food and Health Bureau, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department held a press conference today to explain the details of the spread of the pet shop Little Boss in Causeway Bay.
Xu Lejian, director of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, said that yesterday, he and the AFCD went to Little Boss in Causeway Bay to collect environmental samples and animal samples, and also to the company's Tai Po Industrial Centre to collect samples, and environmental samples from some Tai Po warehouses, including animal cages , About 20 to 30 employees working at the center will be quarantined after the food bowl sample is positive.
Liang Zhaohui, Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, said that 125 samples were taken from Little Boss in Causeway Bay for testing yesterday, involving 78 hamsters, chinchillas and rabbits, of which 11 samples were initially positive, all positive samples were taken from hamsters, and other animal samples were temporarily feminine.
▼The pet store Little Boss has closed all 14 stores▼
A total of 511 samples were collected from the Tai Po warehouse, including chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits, and testing is still underway.
However, since the environmental samples were positive for the virus, in order to reduce the possible risk of transmission, the department will seize all the animals in the warehouses in Little Boss in Causeway Bay and Tai Po for further testing. Refers to "acting mainly in consideration of public safety and health risks".
Liang Zhaohui also said that all pet shops in Hong Kong that sell hamsters must close their business.
And other small animals other than hamsters in the store, including chinchillas and bamboo rats, will also be tested until the results are negative and satisfactory.
He estimated that there are 34 pet shops in Hong Kong that can sell hamsters, involving 1,000 hamsters, while the pet shop in Causeway Bay and its Tai Po warehouse have more than 1,000 small animals. It is roughly estimated that there are about 2,000 animals to be processed, including hamsters and Small animals.
The source of the female pet clerk is unknown. Kong Fanyi: The micro-input case of animal transmission may be leaked. Delta | Pet clerk may be infected by hamsters. The source of the teacher in Chuyang is unknown. The female clerk of the pet store is infected with Delta. Unknown case veterinarian: low chance of animal-to-human transmission
