People queue up to drop off their hamsters at the New Territories South Animal Management Centre in the Shatin area of Hong Kong on Jan 19, 2022. (BERTHA WANG / AFP)

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Thursday condemned the intimidation against anti-epidemic experts after hamsters were humanely culled to minimize the potential risks of COVID-19 transmission in Hong Kong.

A pet shop worker has earlier been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 and samples collected from hamsters at the pet shop in Tai Po have also been tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

A spokesman for the HKSAR government said the decision and operation of the HKSAR government against the animals concerned were based on scientific principles and Hong Kong's actual circumstances to safeguard public safety

A spokesman for the HKSAR government said the decision and operation of the HKSAR government against the animals concerned were based on scientific principles and Hong Kong's actual circumstances to safeguard public safety.

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"Hong Kong is now facing a challenging epidemic situation and it is of paramount importance to take decisive action to prevent the virus from further spreading in the community," he said.

The HKSAR government strongly condemned the irrational attitude adopted towards the anti-epidemic efforts and the intimidating remarks made against the experts by a minority of people, said the spokesman, stressing that Hong Kong is a society that observes the rule of law and will not tolerate such illegal acts.

The spokesman added the HKSAR government is grateful for the anti-epidemic experts who provided the government with professional advice in areas such as public health, epidemiology and clinical experience with science and theories as the basis amid the fight against COVID-19 over the past two years.

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"If anyone attempts to influence the words and efforts of the experts by illegal means, the HKSAR government will not tolerate such acts and will take stringent follow-up actions," he said.