HK bans import of poultry meat and products from Benton County, Washington State, US

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 5) that in view of a notification from the American authority about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Benton County, Washington State, in the US, 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 250 000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 482 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the US from January to November last year.

"We will be in close liaison with the American authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health on avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

Ends/Monday, January 5, 2015