On 29 December 1997, Hong Kong initiated an unprecedented operation to slaughter its entire population of 1.3 million chickens in a desperate bid to contain the H5N1 bird flu outbreak.
This drastic measure followed the virus's alarming jump from birds to humans, resulting in six fatalities and sparking fears of a global pandemic.
Markets and farms turned into sites of mass culling as workers donned protective gear to prevent further transmission.
The decision marked a critical turning point in global public health, highlighting the devastating intersection of human and animal health crises.
