HK's Parknshop reopens in wake of cholera scare

Hong Kong's largest supermarket Parknshop will this week reopen all but one of its live fish counters which were closed last week when cholera bacteria was found in a tank, a report said yesterday.

Parknshop's assurance manager Peter Johnston told reporters the chain would its open fish stalls despite being unable to trace the source of the contagious cholera bacteria which has devastated fresh fish sales.

Johnston tests on water in fish tanks at all its branches and at its fresh fish center had satisfied the company that the source of the cholera had not come from its premises, the Sunday Morning Post reported.

The chain said it would no longer buy fish from wholesalers at Aberdeen harbour who had been discovered to have been trading without licenses for more than 20 years, although it did not blame them for the cholera.

Also, "we have immediately worked with our local suppliers to change the delivery system to ensure that our fish are delivered directly into our fresh fish center," he said.

"In this way, we further minimize the risk of pathogenic vibrio cholera contamination," Johnston said.

The fish counter at Pokfulam on Hong Kong island, where the cholera bacteria was first discovered, will stay closed next week to allow health authorities to complete their investigations, Johnston said.

The supermarket chain, owned by tycoon Li Ka-shing (李嘉誠), closed around 50 fish stalls last week after cholera bacteria was discovered at the Pokfulam tank.