The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 6) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Przeworski District in Poland and a notification from the Japanese authorities about an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Saga Prefecture, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 20 500 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 4.8 million poultry eggs from Poland, and about 7 400 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 49 million poultry eggs from Japan last year.

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

Ends/Monday, February 6, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:30

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