Hong Kong bans import of poultry meat and products from Province of Venice in Italy, Kuwait and Bangladesh

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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 24) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Province of Venice in Italy and Kuwait, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Bangladesh, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above places with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that in the first 11 months of last year, Hong Kong imported about 3 000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 240 000 poultry eggs from Italy. As Hong Kong has not established any protocol with Kuwait and Bangladesh for imports of poultry meat and eggs, there is no import of such commodities from the two countries.

     "The CFS has contacted the Italian, Kuwaiti and Bangladeshi authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks in the countries concerned. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

Ends/Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:54

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