The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 27) that in view of a notification from the General Veterinary Inspectorate, Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Gliwicki District of ÅšlÄ…skie, Kedzierzynsko-kozielski District of Opolskie, and Sieradzki District, Lowicki District, Lodzki Wschodni District and Poddebicki District in Lodzkie in Poland, and a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza in Binh Duong Province, Ninh Binh Province, Thai Binh Province and Hai Phong city in Vietnam, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend 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 has currently established a protocol with Vietnam for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 975 000 poultry eggs from Vietnam, and about 17 720 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 34.26 million poultry eggs from Poland last year.
"The CFS has contacted the Polish and Vietnamese authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.
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