Import of poultry meat and products from Tuaran District of Sabah State in Malaysia suspended

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 7) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Tuaran District of Sabah State in Malaysia, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend 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 imported about 100 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 190million poultry eggs from Malaysia in the first six months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Malaysian 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.