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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 18) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low-pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza on a poultry holding in the Municipality of Zaltbommel, Gelderland Province, in the Netherlands, it has banned the import of poultry and poultry products, including poultry eggs, from the municipality with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health.
A CFS spokesman said about 18 000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat, 26 tonnes of chilled poultry meat and 14 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the Netherlands last year.
An import ban imposed earlier on the same items from the Netherlands' Groningen Province and the Municipality of Dronten in Flevoland Province is still in force, he added.
The CFS has contacted the Netherlands 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.
Ends/Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:15
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