Import of poultry meat and products from Gelderland in Netherlands suspended

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 2) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Gelderland, Netherlands, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above area 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 4,600 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from the Netherlands in the first nine months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Dutch authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.