The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 10) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Bac Ninh and Tay Ninh Provinces in Vietnam, the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the two provinces with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that at present Hong Kong has an established protocol with Vietnam for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. No poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the country last year.

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

Ends/Friday, March 10, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:35

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