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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 29) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low pathogenic H7 avian influenza in Salem County, New Jersey in the United States of America (USA), it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the county with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public health.
A CFS spokesman said about 150 000 tonnes of poultry meat, 8 tonnes of chilled poultry meat, as well as about 600 million poultry eggs, were imported into Hong Kong from the USA last year.
"We will be in close liaison with the US 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/Friday, August 29, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:08
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