Hong Kong bans import of poultry meat and products from three regions

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 12) that in view of a notification from the United States (US) authorities about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Whitley County in the US state of Indiana, and notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Nahouri Province in Burkina Faso and Balikesir Province in Turkey, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the three areas concerned with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 267 000 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 530 million poultry eggs from the US last year. However, no poultry meat or poultry eggs were imported from Burkina Faso or Turkey in the same period.

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

Ends/Tuesday, May 12, 2015