*********************************************************
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 16) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H7 avian influenza at a poultry farm in New South Wales, Australia, import of poultry and poultry products, including poultry eggs, from that state has been banned with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health.
A CFS spokesman said some 4 600 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat and 500 000 poultry eggs from Australia were imported into Hong Kong last year.
"We have contacted the Australian authority over the matter and will closely monitor information released by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreak in the country. Appropriate actions will be taken in response to the developments of the situation," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:40
NNNN
