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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 4) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an incident of low-pathogenic H7 avian influenza in a backyard flock in the Region of DSVR Do Alentejo, Portugal and an outbreak of low-pathogenic H5N3 avian influenza on a poultry farm in the State of Baden-Wurttemburg, Germany, it has banned the import of poultry and poultry products, including poultry eggs, from the two areas with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health.
A CFS spokesman said about 120 tonnes and 6 700 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Portugal and Germany respectively, were imported into Hong Kong from January to October this year.
An import ban on the same items from the State of Thuringen, Germany has been in effect since last month and is still in force, he added.
The CFS has contacted Portuguese and German authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks in the two countries. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation.
Ends/Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:34
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