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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 19) that in view of the declaration of a state of emergency by the state of Nebraska of the United States (US) due to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, and a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Manisa Province in Turkey, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the two regions concerned with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 267 000 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 530 million poultry eggs from the US last year. However, no poultry meat or poultry eggs were imported from Turkey in the same period.
"The CFS has contacted the US and Turkish authorities over the issues 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," the spokesman said.
Ends/Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:30
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