Hong Kong bans import of poultry meat and products from Province of Torino in Italy and Charente-Maritime Department of France

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 5) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Province of Torino in Italy and an outbreak of low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Charente-Maritime Department of France, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 3 300 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 250 000 poultry eggs from Italy, and about 15 500 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat and 19.8 million poultry eggs from France last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Italian and French authorities 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/Wednesday, April 5, 2017