Hong Kong bans import of poultry meat and products from Luxembourg and Tarn-et-Garonne Department of France

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 12) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Luxembourg, and an outbreak of low pathogenic H5N3 in Tarn-et-Garonne Department of France, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above places with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that in the first four months of this year, Hong Kong imported about 5 300 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat and 5 million poultry eggs from France. As Hong Kong has not established any protocol with Luxembourg for imports of poultry meat and eggs, there is no import of such commodities from the country.

     "The CFS has contacted the Luxembourg 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/Monday, June 12, 2017