HK bans import of poultry meat and products from Stanislaus County, State of California, US, and Cayo District, Belize

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 26) that in view of notifications from the US authority and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about respective outbreaks of H5 avian influenza in Stanislaus County, State of California, the US, and Cayo District of Belize, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the two areas concerned 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 480 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the US from January to November last year. Hong Kong did not import any poultry meat or poultry eggs from Belize during the same period.

"The CFS has contacted the authorities concerned over the 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/Monday, January 26, 2015