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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 30) that, in view of the announcement made by the Japanese authorities about an outbreak of H5 avian influenza in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the prefecture with immediate effect for the protection of public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that more than 4 600 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat and 17.7 million poultry eggs were imported from Japan into Hong Kong from January to October this year.
The CFS has contacted the Japanese authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health on the avian influenza outbreak in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation.
Ends/Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:31
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