Hong Kong bans import of poultry meat and products from areas in Italy, Germany and the UK
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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 26) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Province of Padua in Italy and an outbreak of low pathogenic H5N3 avian influenza in the State of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned places with immediate effect.

     Furthermore, in view of a notification from the UK authorities about an outbreak of H5N8 avian influenza in Wyre District of Lancashire County, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from Wyre District and three nearby Districts affected by avian influenza, namely Lancaster District, Blackpool District and Fylde District, with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that in the first 11 months of last year, Hong Kong imported about 3 000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 240 000 poultry eggs from Italy, about 9 300 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and two million poultry eggs from Germany, and about 14 500 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat and 660 000 poultry eggs from the UK.

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

Ends/Thursday, January 26, 2017
Issued at HKT 19:00

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