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In view of a confirmed H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in the Tibet Autonomous Region, a spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (HWFB) today (August 11) announced that the Government had suspended the receipt of applications for the importation of poultry meat from Tibet with immediate effect.

"The HWFB received confirmation from the Ministry of Agriculture on the Mainland this morning, of an H5N1 avian influenza outbreak among poultry in Lhasa of the Tibet Autonomous Region," he said.

The spokesman said that there had been no imports of poultry meat and live birds from Tibet, but should there be any such applications, "we would withhold processing them for the time being to ensure food safety".

"We will monitor the development of the situation in the following weeks," the spokesman said.

Ends/Thursday, August 11, 2005

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