The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 25) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Berwick Upon Tweed of Northumberland County and Montgomeryshire of Powys County in the United Kingdom (UK), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 90 tonnes of chilled poultry meat, about 3 770 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 320 000 poultry eggs from the UK last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the British authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.
 

Ends/Friday, February 25, 2022
Issued at HKT 15:14

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