Hong Kong International Airport announced Wednesday that it has put in place a series of measures for a potential outbreak of bird flu.

To ensure readiness of different parties in carrying out the established public health control measures, the Airport Authority of Hong Kong (AA) is planning a drill for mid-November.

Chief Executive Officer of AA David J Pang said that in line with Hong Kong government's preparedness plan for influenza pandemic, the airport has activated the same "alert response level " of the three-level response system as announced by the Department of Health of Hong Kong earlier.

To ensure readiness of different parties in carrying out the established public health control measures, AA has contingency plans in place and conducts regular drills.

In the event that there are infected persons on board an aircraft arriving, the aircraft will be isolated at a designated area and the medical services will meet the aircraft and attend to the sick passengers. Further containment measures may also be applied to safeguard other members of the traveling public.

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2005)