The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 23) that in view of a notification from the Polish authorities about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Żyrardowski District in Poland, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

      A CFS spokesman said that in the first 11 months of last year, Hong Kong imported about 18 700 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 4.8 million poultry eggs from Poland.

      "The CFS has contacted the Polish authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

Ends/Monday, January 23, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:00

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