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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 26) that, in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) that outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza were detected in villages in the provinces of Phu Tho, Binh Dinh, Tra Vinh and Bac Lieu in Vietnam, the import of salted duck eggs from the four provinces will be banned with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health.
A CFS spokesman said, "The import ban on the same items from various provinces and cities of Vietnam which are being affected by avian influenza earlier is still in force."
"We will continue to closely monitor information issued by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreak and the latest situation in Vietnam, and are liaising with the Vietnamese authorities to understand the situation and discuss plans with a view to better safeguarding food safety," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:15
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