************************************************************
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 9) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza in the District of Cham, State of Bavaria, Germany, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area concerned with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
About 3 400 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and
4 200 000 poultry eggs were imported from Germany into Hong Kong from January to October this year.
"The CFS has contacted the German 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/Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:56
NNNN