The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 9) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Korea District, Chhattisgarh State, India, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from the district with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
      
     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with India for import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. In the first nine months of last year, no poultry eggs from India were imported into Hong Kong according to the Census and Statistics Department. 
      
     "The CFS has contacted the Indian 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/Thursday, January 9, 2020
Issued at HKT 16:45

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