The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 7) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Nord Department of France, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

      A CFS spokesman said that in the first five months of this year, Hong Kong imported about 6 600 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat and 5.7 million poultry eggs from France.

      "The CFS has contacted the French 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/Friday, July 7, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:58

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