Import of poultry meat and products from Komárom-Esztergom County in Hungary suspended

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 14) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Komárom-Esztergom County, Hungary, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from the district with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Hungary for import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. In the first nine months of last year, 2 315 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Hungary were imported into Hong Kong according to the Census and Statistics Department.

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