HK bans import of poultry eggs from Pingtung County, Taiwan

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 9) that, based on the announcement made by the Taiwanese authorities about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N2 sub-type avian influenza in Pingtung County, Taiwan, the import of poultry eggs from the county would be banned with immediate effect for the protection of public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesman said Hong Kong does not import any live poultry or poultry meat from Taiwan, but a small quantity of poultry eggs is imported from Taiwan. According to records, about 6 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from Taiwan between January and November last year.

Import bans on the same item from three other counties in Taiwan, namely Penghu, Hualien and Yilan, imposed in November 2012, August 2013 and December 2014 respectively due to outbreaks of avian influenza, are still in force, he added.

The CFS will closely monitor information issued by the Taiwanese authorities and the World Organisation for Animal Health on the avian influenza outbreaks in Taiwan, and take appropriate action in response to the development of the situation.

Ends/Friday, January 9, 2015