Hong Kong bans import of poultry meat and products from Nowosolski District in Poland

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 2) that in view of a notification from relevant Polish authorities about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Nowosolski District in Poland, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 20 500 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 4.8 million poultry eggs from Poland last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Polish authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

Ends/Thursday, March 2, 2017