Import of poultry meat and products from three provinces in Italy to be suspended
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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 13) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Province of Ferrara, the Province of Bergamo and the Province of Brescia in Italy, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the three provinces with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that in the first six months of this year, Hong Kong imported about 1 000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 10 000 poultry eggs from Italy.

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

Ends/Friday, October 13, 2017
Issued at HKT 20:39

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