Import of poultry meat and products from states of Queretaro and Hidalgo in Mexico suspended

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 30) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza in the states of Queretaro and Hidalgo in Mexico, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from these areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Mexico for import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. In the first three months of this year, no poultry meat from Mexico was imported into Hong Kong.

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