​The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 2) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H7N8 avian influenza in Canberra of the Australian Capital Territory in Australia, and outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Sac County of the State of Iowa and Pipestone County of the State of Minnesota in the United States (US), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 130 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 4.06 million poultry eggs from Australia, and about 16 480 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 7.73 million poultry eggs from the US in the first three months of this year.
"The CFS has contacted the Australian and American authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH 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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