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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department received notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) today (January 31) that there have been outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in a village in Cambodia. The CFS announced that import of poultry eggs from Cambodia is banned with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public health.
A CFS spokesman said Hong Kong does not import any live poultry or poultry meat from Cambodia, but, according to records, about 170 000 poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from Cambodia last year.
"We will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreak and the latest situation in Cambodia, and will maintain close contact with major local egg importers, distributors and supermarkets," the spokesman said.
Ends/Thursday, January 31, 2013
Issued at HKT 19:12
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