The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 21) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza in Quang Tri Province in Vietnam and a notification from the Korean authorities about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza in Gangwon-do Province, Gyeongsangnam-do Province and the cities of Incheon, Sejong and Busan, it 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 2 500 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 3.98 million poultry eggs from Korea last year. At present, Hong Kong has an established protocol with Vietnam for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. No poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the country last year.

      "The CFS has contacted the Vietnamese and Korean authorities over the issues 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/Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:15

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