The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 4) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas 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 relevant areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
The relevant areas are as follows:
The State of Kansas
(1) Franklin County
The State of Minnesota
(2) Stearns County
(3) Meeker County
The State of Maine
(4) Cumberland County
The State of New York
(5) Suffolk County
The State of Nebraska
(6) Butler County
The State of Iowa
(7) Franklin County
The State of South Dakota
(8) Clark County
(9) McPherson County
(10) Jerauld County
(11) Beadle County
(12) Edmunds County
A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 260 tonnes of chilled poultry meat, about 17 090 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 649.21 million poultry eggs from the US last year.
"The CFS has contacted the American 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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