The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (September 24) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in four districts in Jammu and Kashmir State in India, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the relevant districts with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
The relevant districts are as follows:
1. Baramulla District
2. Udhampur District
3. Srinagar District
4. Bandipore District
A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with India for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. According to the Census and Statistics Department, no poultry eggs from India were imported into Hong Kong in the first six months of this year.
"The CFS has contacted the Indian authority over the issue 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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