The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 16) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 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.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 7 000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 1.7 million poultry eggs from Germany in the first nine months of 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, November 16, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:21

NNNN