The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 21) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Korean authorities about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N6 and H5N8 avian influenza in Jeollabuk-do Province, Gyeongsangnam-do Province and Daegu Metropolitan City in Korea, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that in the first nine months of this year, Hong Kong imported about 77 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat and 390 000 poultry eggs from Korea.

     "The CFS has contacted the Korean 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/Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:30

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