The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 21) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Province of Verona in Italy, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Bac Lieu Province in Vietnam, 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 3 300 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 250 000 poultry eggs from Italy 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 Vietnam last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Italian and Vietnamese authorities over these 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, February 21, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:05

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