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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department received notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) today (January 21) that there have been outbreaks of H5N2 avian influenza on poultry farms in Miaoli and Penghu counties in Taiwan. The CFS announced that import of poultry eggs from Miaoli County would be banned with immediate effect whereas import of those from Penghu County has been banned since November 23 last year.
A CFS spokesman said Hong Kong does not import any live poultry or poultry meat from Taiwan, but a small quantity of poultry eggs is imported from Taiwan. According to information from major poultry egg importers, poultry eggs imported from Taiwan were not supplied by Miaoli County.
"We will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreak and the latest situation in Taiwan, and will maintain close contacts with major local egg importers, distributors and supermarkets," the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, January 21, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:44
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