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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 4) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the province with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that some 195,000 poultry eggs were imported from Vietnam into Hong Kong last year.
At present, the Centre has established a protocol with Vietnam for import of salted duck eggs and no importation of poultry meat is allowed, he added. Due to the development of outbreaks in Vietnam, import of salted duck eggs from designated egg processing plants in infected regions have also been suspended.
"The CFS has contacted the Vietnamese authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.
Ends/Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:03
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