Import of poultry meat and products from Province of Ravenna in Italy and Saudi Arabia suspended

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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 27) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Province of Ravenna in Italy, and Saudi Arabia, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned places 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 1 300 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 12 000 poultry eggs from Italy. Since Hong Kong has not established any protocol with Saudi Arabia for imports of poultry meat and eggs, there is no import of such commodities from the country.

     "The CFS has contacted the Italian and Saudi Arabian 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/Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:45

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